Elke Ingrid Pontrello

passed away on September 21st, 2026 at her home in Seattle, WA.

She was born in June of 1943 in Germany, and immigrated with her parents Cordula and Wolfgang Schietke and family to Lockport, NY at the age of 13. She married Joshua Pontrello in Buffalo, NY on November 1st, 1975, and they had two children before moving their family to Kalamazoo, MI in 1984.

Elke lived life to the fullest, enjoying many activities including skydiving, skiing, scuba diving, motorcycling, and traveling, but her favorite activity was being a mom. She made friends everywhere she went, from Harding’s bakery where she was a cake decorator for over 20 years, to the medical offices where she was a receptionist, to the multiple different churches where she attended services and activities regularly, showing her dedication for serving the Lord.

Elke always had a smile to brighten someone’s day, and many entertaining stories to tell, and she will be greatly missed. She was preceded in death by her husband Joshua, her mother Cordula, her father Wolfgang, and her brothers Torsten and Holger. She is survived by her son Jason (Angela) and four grandchildren (Ethan, Jacob, Lucas, and Maxwell) of Wellesley MA, and her daughter Crystal (Dyan) of Seattle, WA.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to A Family for Every Orphan. https://foreveryorphan.org/