Dawna Natzke

Memorial service held for Dawna Natzke

Updated: 4:43 pm Published: 4:00 pm

HOT SPRINGS VILLIAGE, AR - Friends and family arrived at the Village Church of Christ in Hot Springs Village Saturday morning to pay their respects to mother of three and police dispatcher Dawna Natzke.

"It was such a beautiful service and so respectful of Dawna and of the family," said family friend Jill Tyler.

Added friend Lyndsie Davis, "you can tell that God is in this community."

Natzke's death remains a mystery. She disappeared after attending a Christmas party December 21st. About a week later, the U.S. Forest Service found her burned car in the woods in Garland County off of Highway 298. Then on New Year's Eve, a search team found Natzke's body in another heavily wooded area, not far from where her car had been found. Investigators say someone killed Natzke, and they do have a person of interest, but no arrests have been made.

Saturday though, no one focused on Natke's death. Instead, they remembered her life.

"It was like a profound moment for us as a school and community," said Tyler, "to see everyone pull together for this."

Both Tyler and Davis go to Jessieville High School with two of Natzke's sons. Both sons play football, and their teammates came to the memorial service to show their support as did a huge portion of the Hot Springs Village community. It's proof of what many community members have said all along.

"Even though they've been through such a terrible loss that there are people that can help them to pick up the pieces and to kind of start again, as hard as that may be," Tyler said.

Deputies are still investigating Dawna Natzke's death. If you know anything about it, you're asked to please call the Garland County Sheriff's Office.

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Dawna Smith Natzke

(November 17, 1965 - December 31, 2011)

Dawna Smith Natzke, 46, of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas passed away recently. She was born November 17, 1965 in Hammond, Indiana to Homer and Doris Smith.

Dawna worked as a dispatcher with Hot Springs Village Police Department. She was fun loving, outgoing and never met a stranger. She enjoyed singing and dancing with friends, but her boys were the first priority in her life. Dawna had an infectious laugh and a smile that would light up a room. She was dearly loved and will be deeply missed.

She is predeceased by her father, Homer Smith. Dawna is survived by husband, Todd Natzke of Hot Springs Village; sons, Ronald Moeller, Arin Natzke and Brandin Natzke; mother, Doris Smith; sisters, Debbie (Michael) Shingler, Vicki (George) Hegyi and Kathy (Jim) Rydlewski, all of Indiana; and many nieces, nephews and friends.


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