Obit: Oelke, Elaine (1932 - 2018)

Transcriber: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Anklam, Botterud, Buttke, Erickson, Hannemann, Oelke, Pruss, Sire, Young, Zamzow

----Source: The Record - Review (Abbotsford, WI) 7/18/2018

Oelke, Elaine (Buttke) (11 JAN 1932 - 16 JUL 2018)

Elaine Oelke, 86, of Wausau, passed away on Monday, July 16, 2018, at her home.

In her parents’ town of Stettin home, Elaine was born Jan. 11, 1932, to the late Bernhard and Margaret (Anklam) Buttke. At Trinity Lutheran Church in the town of Stettin, she was baptized, confirmed and met the love of her life, Glenn Oelke, at Catechism class. At that very same church, Elaine married Glenn on July 12, 1950. This past Thursday they celebrated 68 years of marriage.

After twenty years of working at Pauley Cheese in Edgar, Elaine then devoted her time in helping raise her two grandchildren, Miranda and Stetson. Elaine was an active member of Trinity, where she participated in Bible Study, Afternoon Circle and helped with many funeral lunches. She enjoyed playing cards, listening to polka music and going up north to visit friends at Pine Lake. She loved to can, cook and bake bread from scratch for her family. You could also find Elaine doing needlepoint or embroidery while watching her favorite soap, “The Young and The Restless.”

Survivors include her husband, Glenn of Wausau; daughter, Suzanne (John) Young of Wausau; son, Steve (Tracey Botterud) Oelke of Wausau; two grandchildren, Miranda (Seth) Erickson of Athens, Stetson (Amanda) Oelke of Marathon; four great-grandchildren, Hunter, Ava, Bryn and Montgomery; brother, Allen (Karen) Buttke of Wausau; three sisters, Marlene (Merlin) Pruss of Fond du Lac, Lou Ann (Donald) Zamzow of Weston and Bonita Buttke of Minnetonka, Minn.; and sister-in-law, Shirley (Martin) Hannemann of Rib Mountain.

A funeral service will be at 11 a.m., Saturday, July 21, 2018, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1008 N. 120th Ave., Wausau. Reverend Dan Sire will preside. Burial will be in Stettin Christian Cemetery. Visitation will be Saturday at the church from 9 a.m. until the time of service.

You may sign our family guestbook at www.helke.com. 

We would like to thank the nurses at Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Service and the staff at Mountain Terrace for all their care, concern and kindness they gave Elaine and our family.