Eileen M. (Kracke) Woltemath

Eileen Mildred Woltemath was born to Henry D. and Lena (Meyer) Kracke on Jan. 4, 1927 in Table Rock, Nebraska.  She was baptized at her parent’s home on Jan. 23, 1927 by Rev. F. Geyer and confirmed Sept. 14, 1941 at the St. James Lutheran Church, rural Humboldt, by Rev. H. G. Bents.  Eileen attended elementary school through the eighth grade at the Rock school District #45 near Elk Creek, her freshman year at Johnson High School and graduated from Table Rock High School in 1945.   Eileen was the last remaining member of her graduating class. She met her future husband Laverne at a dance in Johnson.  Eileen said she danced with other guys that evening, but there was just "something about Laverne."  After graduation, she went to live with her aunt Delta (Kracke) Burla and husband John in Colorado Springs where Eileen worked in the dining room of the Broadmoor Hotel. After corresponding with Laverne, she returned to Nebraska.  Eileen never lost her love for the Colorado Rockies and enjoyed going back to Colorado whenever the opportunity arose.

She was united in marriage to Laverne Woltemath on June 10, 1946 at the St. James Lutheran (Long Branch) Church.  Laverne and Eileen made their home on the Woltemath family homestead west of Elk Creek. After their marriage, Eileen taught school at the Bush School in Pawnee County for 2 years and for one year at the St. Peter’s Parochial School, Elk Creek.  Eileen was a farmwife and mother as well as a nurse’s aid at the Johnson County Hospital working the 3-11 and 11-7 shifts for over 40 years.  Some of her strongest friendships were formed with her co-workers over the years.    

Laverne passed away suddenly on April 2, 1993.  Eileen continued to live on the farm until after experiencing a fall in late 2009 and breaking her hip, when she moved to the Tecumseh Manor in Tecumseh.   In her earlier years Eileen loved attending weekly bible study, helping with Vacation Bible School, singing in the church choir and playing in the hand bell choir at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.  Eileen was a caregiver for several shut-ins over the years.  She enjoyed gardening, family genealogy, bird watching and visits from family and friends. She broke her second hip after another fall in August of 2016 and then became a resident of Belle Terrace in Tecumseh.  Due to its closing, Eileen transferred to the Good Samaritan Center in Auburn.  She passed away there on April 10, 2023 at the age of 96 years, 30 years and 8 days after her husband Laverne.

She is survived by her children, Annette Ottemann of Johnson, Roger Woltemath and wife Nancy of Elk Creek, Carol Rieken and husband Ken of Tecumseh and Lori Hoemann and husband James of Lincoln, daughter-in-law, Mary Woltemath of Lexington, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, sisters, Laura Johnson of Americus, KS and Elta Whitney of Auburn, sisters-in-law, Eldred Woltemath of Lincoln and Anita Woltemath of Lakewood, CO and nieces and nephews.  

Eileen was preceded in death by her parents, husband Laverne, son Lorain “Wally”, son-in-law, Kenneth Ottemann, brother, Ervin Kracke and wife Elsie and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Gary Whitney, Donald Johnson, Gary Woltemath, Leland Woltemath, Ted and Mary Woltemath and Arleen and Leland Krueger. 

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, April 15, 2023 at the St. Peter's Lutheran Church, rural Elk Creek, Nebraska with Rev. Bill Cornelius officiating. The service was also livestreamed on the St. Peter's Lutheran Church Facebook page.  The link to the livestream is now also available on the bottom of Eileen's webpage.

Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., with family greeting friends from 6-7 p.m., Friday, April 14, 2023 at the Wherry Mortuary in Tecumseh, Nebraska.

Memorials may go to the St. Peter's Lutheran Church or the Johnson County Hospital Foundation.

Interment will be in the St. Peter's Lutheran Cemetery, rural Elk Creek, Nebraska.

Online condolences may be left @ www.wherrymortuary.com.

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