Painter and etcher. Born in Leewarden, Holland. Studied at the School for Applied Design in Haarlem, Holland, and the Chicago Art Institute.Botke married Jessie Arms and moved to Carmel in 1918. He taught at the Carmel Arts and Crafts Club and was a member of the American Society of Etchers, the American Society of Graphic Artists, and the California Watercolor Society.Exhibitions included (partial list): Milwaukee Art Institute; Art Institute of Chicago; Smithsonian Institution; Santa Barbara Museum of Art; M.H. DeYoung Museum, SF; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis.The Library of Congress purchased twelve of his etchings, and his etchings were also bought by the California State Library, Sacramento, the Los Angeles and New York city public libraries and the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1945 he and his wife traveled throughout the country with a combined showing of their works.He and his wife moved to Santa Paula in 1927.