David Lee Bratke

David Lee Bratke was born in Rock Springs, Wyoming. David married the love of his life, Sherrie Little, on Valentine’s Day in 1984. Together they raised five beautiful children, and settled in Farmington, Utah. David enjoyed fly fishing, spending time with the family in their pool, family games, sharing moments at the family cabin, listening to classic rock music, and cheering for the University of Wyoming. Go Pokes!

David is preceded in death by his father Eddie, and mother Elouise. He is survived by his adored wife, Sherrie. His brother John (Annette), his cherished children, Preston (Traci), Tina, Jeramiah, Angelique, and Eddie (Ashley). His eleven grandchildren, four great grandchildren, niece, nephews, and many beloved friends.

A celebration of life to honor our shared love of David was held Saturday, December 11th at Rev 19. 1604 West Hill Field Road, Layton Utah 84041. Open house was from 3-5 pm.

The family would appreciate it if friends and family members would contribute written stories and memories of Dave. Please see that they get to Preston. Thank you. 

David Lee Bratke

January 31, 1957 - December 3, 2021

Blaine Little - Cement Finisher

Like his father, my father was sentenced to a life of hard labor as he was a cement mason, commonly known as a ‘cement finisher’. One of the most labor intensive jobs in construction, a cement finisher had to do many steps to finish the job. 

 Not one of the steps could be left out or delayed, or done ‘half complete’. That meant he leveled the ground; made the cement forms that held the wet cement mud out of 2x4’s or other sized wood at the right slope for rain runoff; secured steel rebar throughout the project to give it strength; calculated the cubic yards of ‘mud’ needed; ordered the mix ratios (cement, sand, gravel, coloration) and scheduled delivery of the cement truck with the large rotating drum. 

 When the truck arrived he worked the heavy mud with a round shovel when it came down the chute out of the cement truck; then spread the mud with a flat end shovel and leveled it by moving, from side to side, a long 2x4 that was using the form as a guide. Then dad really got to work before it ‘set up’ on him. While tromping in the gray wet glop with rubber boots he then pounded the flat wet cement with a large tamping device (can’t remember the name, I think he called it a “bolo”) that settled the gravel and brought to the surface a fine slurry that could be smoothed out with a large flat trowel called a ‘float’. Some floats are hand held and others are on a long pole to reach long distances or across the driveway. 

He then hand troweled the entire slab on his hands and knees moving around using two flat boards. He finished off the corners and edges of the sidewalk with different curved trowels. He took pride in his work and insisted on finishing the project with a very smooth surface unless the job required a rougher brushed surface. This is why a cement mason is usually called a ‘cement finisher’. He made sure all of the tools were rinsed off and cleaned and when the cement had ‘set’ hard he would take off the wood forms and smooth out any rough spots the forms left. 

 All of these steps had to be done at the right time and cement sometimes wanted to set-up or dry faster or slower, depending on the composition, water amounts used, humidity and outside temperature, etc. 

He took a lot of care with each job and he got very upset when anyone would scratch their initials or comments in the drying concrete. 

More later! Please have a great day!