Port Washington man stunned to read own obituary in paper

PORT WASHINGTON (WITI) -- A 64-year-old Port Washington man was shocked to see his own obituary in the newspaper last week -- but perhaps even more surprised to find out why it was there.

Jim Radloff was working at the Port Washington Police Department when coworkers pointed out the obituary.

"Both him and the Chief of Police said to me 'did you see this?' And they had the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel opened up and when I walked over and looked down, there was my death notice," said Radloff.

Radloff couldn't believe what he saw.

"This one really caught me off guard as even when the press called and then it made it to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. It's terrible what we've had to have gone through," said Radloff.

The person who submitted the fake obituary was Radloff's daughter's boyfriend. The man also submitted a fake obituary to the Ozaukee Press, which never ran due to inconsistencies.

"I don't understand the motive because I, up until last week Tuesday, when I did call him and told him I know what he did, trying to put that in the Ozaukee Press, and he denied it -- I haven't seen him, I haven't talked to him since June 11th," explained Radloff.

Radloff says he is happy the newspaper ran a retraction, but has had a stressful time straightening out the situation.

"At times break down and cry because I don't believe that somebody could do this to us," said Radloff's wife, Sandra.

FOX6 spoke with the man who submitted the obituary. He says he did it as a joke because of the strained relationship with the Radloff's. The man also claims the paper never should have printed the obituary because it was not paid for.