Elaine Marie Stoltze
July 22, 1927 - June 9, 2021

Elaine Marie Stoltze was born July 22, 1927, to Carl and Anna (Greve) Neddermeyer. Elaine passed away surrounded by her loving family on Wednesday, June 9, 2021. She was baptized at St. John's Lutheran Church in Charter Oak where she was a lifelong member.

Elaine attended school at St. John's Lutheran School and Charter Oak High School, graduating with the class of 1945. After graduation, Elaine attended St. Luke's School of Nursing in Sioux City and received a registered nursing degree. She then began her career as a nurse at St. Luke's Hospital in Sioux City, and then again, for a time, worked at Crawford County Memorial Hospital in Denison. After retiring from nursing as an occupation, she continued her nursing service by volunteering for many civic events related to health care, including many Red Cross blood drives.

On October 10, 1948, Elaine married the love of her life, Robert Stoltze, celebrating seventy years of marriage before his passing. Having a love of flowers, they owned a flower shop for a time and then chose the career of farming together, and, in a short time permanently located in Charter Oak where they operated and bought a farm near Elaine's parents. Over their lifetime together, the couple grew their farming business and were joined in the operation by their son, Keith. Elaine was a true partner in the operation and was both willing and able to perform or assist in virtually all farming operations including milking cows, raising chickens, sorting hogs, driving tractors, and any other farm task that needed to be done. At the same time, she would take care of the activities and needs of her home, along with her seven children. She would prepare the meals for them every day and took care of them when they got sick as well as all of their needs. She always made sure there was food around the home for her children and all visitors. No one ever went hungry in Elaine's home.

Family was Elaine's primary calling and interest, but she also volunteered at St. John's Church and was a member of their Ladies Aid and the Charter Oak Clubettes community group. She was an avid communicator, in person and in letters and cards, never forgetting anyone's special days. Every card was accompanied by a loving and handwritten letter.

Through it all, the importance of family was dearest and her commitment and devotion to her children and grandchildren never wavered. After Elaine's parents and many aunts and uncles passed, Elaine became the family matriarch. Elaine and Bob hosted myriad family gatherings at the farm throughout the years. Whether it was Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or a birthday or anniversary celebration, Elaine did not like to miss an opportunity to bring the family together. She maintained her role as family hostess until she was physically unable to continue.

Left to cherish Elaine's memory are her children, Robert, Jr. (Annette), their children, James (Jenna), Jason and Matthew (fiancé, Kristin), and their grandsons, Tyler and Trevor; daughter-in-law, Lois (widow of Daniel), their children, Anne, Sonya (Ryan) Newstrom and Daniel, and their grandchildren, Amelie and Jameson; Bruce (Celeste), their children, Bruce, Jr., Andrew (Suzanne), David, Michael and John, and their grandchildren, Mason, Lydia, June, Zara, Benjamin and Vera; Susan (Randy) Kult, their daughter, Jennifer (Jared) Hamilton, and their grandchildren, Gabriel and Brigid; Keith; Nancy (Terry) Leadbeter, Nancy's children: Laura (Jason) Ruggiero, Catherine Thomas and Elizabeth Thompson, and their granddaughters, Isabella, Olivia and Jordyn. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Eva Wickert, and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Robert, two sons, William and Daniel, two great-grandchildren, Cecilia and Peter, and her only brother, Marvin.

Funeral Service is at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 16, 2021 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Charter Oak, with visitation two hours prior to the service from 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Interment is in St. John's Lutheran Cemetery in Charter Oak. Memorials may be directed to the family for a later designation.

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