Memorial service for David D'Wayne Bethke, Sr., age 75, of Crane Hill, will be at 2 p.m. on Monday, Feb.18, 2019, at Cullman Heritage Funeral Home.
Cullman Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Bethke passed away on Feb. 12, 2019, at UAB Palliative Care. He was born Jan. 25, 1944, to Louis Bethke and Georgia Phillips.
Mr. Bethke entered the U.S. Army right out of high school. He served active duty for 21 years, including two tours in Vietnam and multiple overseas duties. David decided to retire from the Army, and finished his master's degree. Later, he worked for the U.S. Civil Service as a Laser Protection Officer, Emergency Management, Logistician, Director of Military Support in Waegan, S. Korea, and finally by fielding and teaching helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft pilot and crews survivability systems. David served his country with distinction for a total of 50 years, retiring in 2012.
David's passion was always classic cars, spending the last year of his life building a 1923 T-Bucket Hot Rod, of which he was very proud. When he wasn't working on cars, he was the best husband ever, and strived to be the ultimate grandfather.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother.
Survivors include his wife, Jolene Bethke; daughters, Pamala Bethke (Chris Fretz), Angel Bethke (Tim McErlean), and Constance (Douglas) Gillon; sons, Rodney (Katherine) Ratliff and David Bethke, Jr. (Rosa Vera); grandchildren, Ariel (Daniel) Batton, Mogan Gillon, Shaun Torres, David Bethke, III, Mia Fuhrman, and Ethan Redmond; great-grandchildren, Luke Batton and Chance Batton.
