Elta Verna (Kracke) Whitney, age 85, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on June 7, 2024, at the Good Samaritan Center in Auburn, NE. Elta was born on August 6, 1938 in a car on the way to the hospital at Pawnee City, NE and was later baptized into the Lutheran faith. She graduated from Humboldt High School in 1956. After high school, she attended Commercial Extension in Omaha and worked at Western Securities in Omaha. Elta was united in marriage to Gary Whitney and farmed with him north of Humboldt with him until his death in 2010.
In 2010 Elta moved to Auburn, NE and resided at Longs Creek Village and later Good Samaritan Nursing Home. She was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Humboldt and later Trinity Lutheran Church in Auburn, serving on several committees at the church over the years and the prison ministry. Hobbies included making crafts, raising various hobby pets/animals, attending farm sales with Gary, working in her enormous gardens and with her flowers, farming, and tending to the livestock. She was a member of the Fiddle Faddle, Golden Rule, and the Bluebird Association clubs. Elta adored and was devoted to her family, loved seeing her grandchildren and great grandchildren – often marveling at their talents and laughing at their antics, and especially enjoyed spending time feeding and watching birds.
Elta was preceded in death by her parents, Henry “Hank” and Lena Kracke; husband, Gary Whitney; brother, Ervin and sister-in-law, Elsie Kracke; sister, Eileen and brother-in-law, LaVerne Woltemath; brother-in-law, Donald Johnson; and daughter-in-law, Dora Whitney. She is survived by her two sons, Byron (Lori) Whitney and Todd Whitney; one daughter, Sheila (Randy) Boden; grandchildren, Megan (Tommy) Bakken, Larissa Whitney, Logan (Miranda) Whitney, Bryce Boden, and Lauren Boden; great grandchildren, Kendra Whitney, Lucas Bakken, Alice Bakken, and Annalee Whitney; sister, Laura Johnson; brother-in-law, David Whitney; sister-in-law, Jan (Lyle) Larsen; nieces; nephews; other family; and friends.
We would like to extend special thanks and appreciation to all of Elta’s family, brothers and sisters in Christ, and dear friends (too many to name) who gave of their time and talents to assist mother over the years, as well as much gratitude to the caring staff of the Long Creek Village, Good Samaritan Society and St. Croix Hospice. You all touched our hearts and enhanced mother’s quality of life – thank you and may God richly bless you all!
Funeral Services will be held at 1:30 PM Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Auburn with Pastor Brent Berg officiating. The service will be live streamed on the Hall Funeral Chapel Facebook page. Interment will follow in the Humboldt Cemetery in Humboldt. Mourners are welcome to dress casually and come as they are to the funeral for Elta. Visitation with family greeting friends will be for one hour at the church prior to services on Tuesday. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Trinity Lutheran Church in Auburn, NE or your local Lutheran Family and Social Services chapter in Elta’s memory.
Condolences may be left online at www.hallfuneral.net. Hall Funeral Chapel in Auburn in charge of arrangements.
Your life was a blessing, your memory a treasure. You are loved beyond words and will be missed beyond measure. Until we meet again.
