Evelyn "Elaine" Choutka

Evelyn "Elaine" (Sieck) Choutka, age 76, of Columbus died Sunday August 31,
2025 at Edgewood Vista Assisted Living.

Mass of Christian Burial is 10:30 a.m. Thursday, September 4, 2025 at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church. Visitation is Wednesday  4-7 p.m.  There will be a 7:00 p.m. vigil service all at the Church. Visitation will continue Thursday morning 9:30 a.m. until service time at the church. Interment will be in the Iowa Valley Cemetery-rural Madison County.

Elaine was born December 10, 1948 in Council Bluffs, Iowa to Loran and Evelyn (Bryan) Sieck. She grew up near Pacific Junction, Iowa and was a member of the Glenwood High Class of 1967. She attended Peru State College and graduated with a degree in math education. In college, she met her lifetime love, Duane Choutka and they were married on August 22nd, 1970 in Glenwood, Iowa. Four children were born to this union.
Elaine began her teaching career at Nebraska City Junior High school until she became a mother. She was proud to serve as the president of the Jaycee Jaynes. In 1979 Elaine and Duane, along with their sons, Bryan and Chad moved to rural Lindsay, NE where they would add two daughters, Michelle and Jennifer, to make their family complete. She suspended her full time teaching career while she spent decades as a farm wife, mother, substitute teacher, and volunteer to the church and various community organizations. They were proud and devoted members of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in rural Madison County.
Whether she was navigating 4-H projects, helping with homework, or anchored in the bleachers, Elaine remained fiercely devoted to her children and helping them achieve success and happiness in life. She later resumed a full time teaching career and taught math at Battle Creek High School and Northeast Community College.

In January, 2008, after years of patiently waiting, she became a grandma, a title she wore proudly and lovingly. In February 2018, she got to "move back to town" and Duane and Elaine moved to Columbus where she was a member of St.  Bonaventure Catholic Church.

She'll be remembered for her quiet consistency, her sweet smile, and her incredible cooking skills, among many other favorable qualities. It seems only fitting that she would celebrate her 55th wedding anniversary and see students back to school for the fall semester before considering her earthly work complete.

She was preceeded in death by her parents, Loran and Evelyn Sieck, her father and mother-in- law, Alvin and Doris Choutka. She is survived by her husband, Duane, son Bryan (Laura) Choutka, Dylan, and Kylie of Wahoo, son Chad Choutka of Lindsay, daughter Michelle Sell, Logan, Katherine, Lydia of Columbus, and Jennifer (Curtis) Scheer , Emma, Henry, Noah of Norfolk and siblings Roger (Debbie) Sieck,  Genelle Campbell, and Marcia Hansen, nieces and nephews and in-laws.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. Bonaventure Catholic Church, or the Alzheimer's Association.