Eliene was confirmed April 2, 1944, at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Elk Creek, NE. She graduated in 1948 from Elk Creek High School, and was the Valedictorian of her class. From 1948 to 1949 she worked at the Elgin Watch Factory in Lincoln, NE and then in 1949 she attended Peru State College for two years; where she met her future husband, Dean Thiesfeld. The two were married June 8, 1952 at St. Peter's Lutheran Church and were married for 69 years. Eilene was an elementary school teacher and taught students in Elk Creek, NE, Sumner, NE, and Wahoo, NE. She taught 10 years of Sunday school and for 20 years she taught mid-week catechism. For 32 years she made evangelism (outreach) calls at church. Her Christian faith was a large part of her life.
Eilene enjoyed working on family history and volunteering with Dean at the Bryan East Hospital. She was an avid letter-writer and loved informing her family of all the comings-and-goings. She was the family historian! She and Dean would take many winter trips to Apache Junction, AZ, and summer trips to Estes Park, CO.
She is preceded in death by her parents; husband; brother, Edwin L. Beethe; sister, Elaine (Beethe) Roberts; and granddaughter, Angela (Valverde) Meza.
She is survived by her daughters, Terri (Scott) Light, and DeAnn (Frederick) Valverde; son, Thomas (Marjorie) Thiesfeld; grandchildren, Heather (Billy) Roseblock, David Valverde, Ashley Thiesfeld, and Jesus (Jesse) Meza; great-grandchildren, Isabela Meza, Steven Roseblock, Christian Meza, and Carl Roseblock; and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held Thursday, December 30, 2021, 4-7 PM, with family joining at 5PM, at Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home. 6800 S. 14th St, Lincoln, NE. Celebration of Life Service will be held Friday, December 31, 2021, 11:00AM, with a visitation 1 hour prior, at Faith Lutheran Church. 8701 Adams St, Lincoln, NE. Interment to follow at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery. 6700 S. 14th St, Lincoln, NE. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the family for future designation.
