Elaine R. Koch, 75, of Richland, Nebraska, passed away peacefully at Brookestone Acres in Columbus, Nebraska on Wednesday, July 24, 2024.

The funeral service will be held on Tuesday, July 30, at 2:00 PM at Bible Baptist Church with Pastor Robert Walker officiating. Visitation will be on Monday, from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM and continue Tuesday, from 1:00 PM until service time, all at the church. Interment will be in Roselawn Memorial Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the family.

Elaine Ruth (Brauer) Koch was born on September 3, 1948, in Hutchinson, Minnesota, the second of thirteen children, to Milford & Ruth (Bergt) Brauer.  She graduated from Minneapolis Lutheran High, Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1966 and continued her education at Concordia College in St. Paul, Minnesota, graduating with a BA in Elementary Education in 1970.

Elaine was united in marriage to Franklin Koch on October 24, 1982, at the Bible Baptist Church in Columbus.  They were blessed with three sons, Fred, Isaac and Stuart.  Elaine faithfully attended the Bible Baptist Church until her health failed.

Elaine worked in daycare for several years in Wisconsin, in restaurant work in Missouri, and for a time at the packing plant in Schuyler, Nebraska.  After her marriage to Frank, she gave sewing lessons at their sewing machine store while raising her sons.  Her own grandmother, Gertie, had taught her to sew on her treadle sewing machine.

Elaine babysat out of her home, delivered the Choice newspaper, and did Aftercare for the Columbus Schools.  Her last years of employment were spent in housekeeping and elder care.  Elaine loved children and as a child rounded up her siblings to play school.  She enjoyed gardening, flowers, sewing, and creating various crafts to sell, along with raising various animals, including emus, on their farm in Richland.

Elaine is survived by her husband Frank, two sons Isaac and Stuart, grandchildren, Lydia and Josiah Koch, along with Frank's children, Martha, David, Mark, Daniel, and their spouses, children, and grandchildren.  She is also survived by siblings:  Gary (Tami Averett) Brauer, Bernie Brauer, Darlene (Lawren) Miller, Myron (Nancy) Brauer, Mark Brauer, Carol (Tony) Steinbronn, Rich (Ranotta) Brauer, Ron (Ruth Bygness) Brauer, Becki (Greg) Kirchhoff, Gerry (Alice Yang) Brauer, and Mike (Julie) Brauer, along with many nieces & nephews.

Elaine was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents; Erich and Gertrude Bergt and John and Esther Brauer, an infant sister, Karen, and her infant son Fred Louis Koch.