Eileen Jane (Ricke) Radcliff, age 83 of York, NE, died Friday, June 19, 2026 in Clarkson, NE. She was born on May 1, 1943 to Alfred and Dorothy (Schafer) Ricke in Titusville, Pennsylvania.
Eileen graduated from Titusville High School in 1961 and went directly to an FBI internship in Washington DC where she met her sweetheart, Gale Radcliff. They spent a year in DC and then moved to Titusville, PA where Eileen’s family lived. In 1963, they got married in a small intimate family ceremony. In 1965, they welcomed their first son Mark Alan Radcliff in Pennsylvania. They then moved back to York and welcomed their second son Brian Gale Radcliff. Three years later they added a final son, Brent Douglas Radcliff to the family. Throughout the years the family lived in North Bend, North Platte, Holdredge, York, Arizona and Colorado. When Gale retired in 2012 they returned to Nebraska, where his son Mark and family resided. They lived in York, where Gale’s family resided. Friday nights were nights out with Mark’s family, (sister and brother-in-law) Mick and Carol Jean Thiele, Dale and Cheryl Radcliff and any nieces and nephews that could join them.
Eileen enjoyed gardening, growing her strawberries and cucumbers were her specialties. She also enjoyed watching her grandsons Carson and Garrett Radcliff (Mark & Christine’s sons) play ball and travel to Florida most recently Arkansas to see her granddaughters Gabby and Sadie Radcliff (Brent and Tamiko’s daughters). In Holdredge, Eileen took pride in running Zephyr Café where she made breakfast and lunch every day, her gift in the kitchen was passed on to her son’s and grandkids. When they were in York, she worked at the University in the cafeteria and also in the bakery of the Grand Central. Then when they moved to Colorado, she worked for Strasburg school district as the Head Cook from 2003-2008. Then she retired and they returned to York, where she took care of Gale and the home. The lawn was beautiful and her garden always growing more than they could eat.
She is survived by her sons, Mark (Christine) Radcliff of Howells, NE, Brian (Erika) Radcliff of Colorado Springs, CO and Brent (Tamiko) Radcliff of Bella Vista, AR. Her grandchildren include: Brittany (Jeremy) Inge of Trenton, TX, Carson (Lena Eschiti) Radcliff of Kearney, NE, Gabby Radcliff and Sadie Radcliff both of Bella Vista, and Garrett Radcliff of Howells; and great grandchildren: Hazel McDowell of Glendale, AZ and Kayden Inge of Trenton, TX. Also surviving is her sisters: Maryalyce Lupher of Detroit, Michigan, Audrey Jewel of Seneca, PA, Linda (Ron) Dolecki of Huntington, Maryland, brother-in-law Dale (Cheryl) Radcliff of York and her sister-in-law Carol Jean Thiele, also of York. She also has several nieces, nephews, cousins, and a host of friends that she leaves behind.
She was preceded in death by her parents-Alfred & Dorothy, husband-Gale, two brothers-Dusty and Luis Kurschinske, and her brothers-in-law Bill Lupher and Mick Thiele.
Funeral services are scheduled for 9:00 am Saturday, June 27, 2026 at the First United Methodist Church in York with the Reverend Trudy Hanke officiating. Burial will be in York’s Greenwood Cemetery following services. Visitation will be from 3-8:00 pm Friday with her family greeting friends from 6-7:30 that same evening at the mortuary in York. Memorials may be directed to her family for later designation.