Our Staff

John Roetker

Funeral Director/Owner

John is the proud owner of Gladfelter-Roetker Funeral Home having purchased the funeral home in 2008.

John graduated from Southern Illinois University with a degree in Mortuary Science and Funeral Service. He has worked in and managed other funeral homes in central Illinois and the Illinois Valley.  His experience in funeral service spans over forty years. 

John is a member of the Ottawa Noon Rotary Club, Ottawa Chamber of Commerce, the Sons of the American Legion, and Illinois and National Funeral Directors Associations.  He is also a former member of the Illinois Coroners Association and International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners.  John also holds memberships in the Masonic Lodge and Bloomington Consistory.  John is a proud supporter of numerous community organizations and causes.  He is a member of Crossbridge Community Church in Ottawa where he serves as a greeter and works in the Feed His Children ministry.

John resides in Ottawa and is honored to serve the families who choose Gladfelter-Roetker in their time of need. 

Telephone: 1-815-433-0097

Email: 

Vicki Roetker

Office Manager/Owner

Vicki works as the office manager at Gladfelter-Roetker Funeral Home and is the wife of owner John Roetker.

Vicki was born and raised in Clinton, Illinois, and had been employed at the DeWitt County Clerk's office, and worked for the Office of Records and Registration at Eastern Illinois University. Vicki and John were married in 1979 and have two children, Alison and Jordan Roetker, and three grandchildren, Ethan, Mackenzie and Elliott who all reside in Ottawa. 

Vicki is an active member of Crossbridge Community Church where she serves on the tech team, coffee bar and the Feed His Children program.  Vicki takes pride in making sure the quality expectations Gladfelter-Roetker families have come to expect are met or exceeded.

Telephone: 1-815-433-0097

Email: 

Jordan Roetker

Funeral Director/Embalmer

Jordan is the son of John and Vicki Roetker and is a funeral director here at Gladfelter-Roetker Funeral Home.

A U.S. Army veteran of 7 years, Jordan served in the Military Police Corps being deployed to both Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  He is a member of the American Legion Post 33 in Ottawa, a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and attends Crossbridge Community Church in Ottawa.

Jordan graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science Spring 2015 Class where he was awarded the Illinois Funeral Directors Association Past President’s Scholarship for excellence in professionalism.  He is married to Erica Rohwer of Ottawa and have two children, Mackenzie and Elliott. Jordan resides in Ottawa and looks forward to assisting the families Gladfelter-Roetker Funeral Home is honored to serve.

Telephone: 1-815-433-0097

Email: 

Jennifer Leifheit

Funeral Assistant

Jennifer is a graduate of Ottawa Township High School and Illinois Valley Community College. She earned her Associate of Applied Science degree from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Wheeling, Illinois. She has gained experience in funeral service having servied as a funeral director, embalmer, and cremationist in the Sandwich and Ottawa areas. 

A native of Ottawa, Jennifer is the daughter of Ken and Carol Geiger. Married to Ryan Leifheit, they and their four children reside in rural Ottawa.

Telephone: 1-815-433-0097

Email: 

Charles

Funeral Assistant

Charles "Chick" Kluemke has been a funeral assistant at Gladfelter's since 2005.  Chick and his wife, Mary, have two children, Mark and Marcia and five grandchildren. 

A native of Breese, Illinois, Chick received numerous awards and honors and retired as district manager for the Prudential Insurance Company in 1997. 

In the different towns Chick and Mary lived, they were involved in and coached boys and girls basketball.  The past 30 years Chick has coached boys and girls basketball at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Ottawa. 

A member of St. Francis Church, where he serves as usher, lector and CCD teacher, Chick also has been a familiar face at Senica's Oak Ridge Golf Course.  He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, Marquette Booster Club, and is a corporate member of St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa.