Elaine M. Heup

Elaine M. Heup, age 94, was received into the waiting arms of her Lord and Savior on December 6, 2025 after a short battle with congestive heart failure. She was born April 23, 1931 in the Town of Levis (Neillsville), WI to Charles and Phena (Ott) Lueck. She was received into God’s kingdom through baptism at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Neillsville, WI on May 17, 1931. Elaine continued to learn of her Savior and was confirmed on Palm Sunday, March 25, 1945 at St. John’s Lutheran in Neillsville, WI.

Elaine attended Neillsville High School, graduating in 1950. After high school, she held jobs working on farms for various relatives, cooking and baking for thrashing crews, and doing housework. She moved on to do nanny work in Milwaukee. Eventually she moved to Beaver Dam, WI and got a job at the Monarch Range Company making shells for the Korean War. While in Beaver Dam she met her future husband, Howard. Howard and Elaine were married on Palm Sunday, April 11, 1954 in Neillsville, WI.

After marriage, they moved to Watertown, WI and eventually Milwaukee, WI as jobs and family dictated. Elaine would take care of children wherever she lived. In 1959 they moved to Winona, MN where she was active at the church with Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society (LWMS), Ladies Aid, and Lutheran Girl Pioneers. She taught many girls to sew and perform many other useful tasks. Along with raising her growing family, she took care of various children.

In 1969, they moved to Appleton, WI when Howard accepted the call to teach at Fox Valley Lutheran High School. They attended Riverview Lutheran Church where Elaine was once again active with the Lutheran Girl Pioneers, and sang in the choir. For many years she also made the meals for the hot lunch program monthly – hot dogs, Spanish hamburger, or chili.

In 1976 they moved again and joined Mount Olive Lutheran Church. Mom focused on her child care activities, taking care of as many as 10 children beside her own. Beginning in 1996, she was known as Grandma Heup to many classes of Mount Olive’s Kindergarten children and parents. She became the classroom helper for Mrs. Inniger. She worked in the classroom helping the children, and each year she sewed the many costumes worn for their play. She said these were some of her most joyous times.

In her younger years Elaine loved reading, earning the Young People’s Reading Circle Diploma for 7 years. She told stories of avoiding her chores in order to read a book. It was a love she had until the end.

When she wasn’t babysitting or helping at church or school, she enjoyed spending time with her family and doing things for and with her children. This included baking multiple loaves of bread each week, baking cookies, sewing clothing or whatever else the children needed including dresses for the entire wedding party for Nancy and Donna’s weddings, and knitting mittens, scarves, sweaters and baby booties for many children. In later years she went on camping trips with her grandchildren each summer. Eventually she and Howard traveled to all fifty states, having visited something in every state, most often a natural place where they shared with family God’s hand in creation.

Elaine is survived by her children Nancy Albright, Mankato, MN; Donna (Richard) Raddatz, Appleton, WI; David (Gwyn) Heup, Green Bay, WI; and Paula Heup, Appleton, WI. Daughter-in-law Barb Heup, Lakeville, MN; Grandchildren Jonathon and James Albright, Jennifer, Julia and Tyler Heup, and Joanna Heup, Great Grandchildren Noah, Ben, Hannah and Luke Albright. Several step-grandchildren, step-great grandchildren and a step-great-great grandchild. As well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Elaine was preceded in death by her parents, father and mother-in-law Harold and Ella (Hagert) Heup; brothers Marvin (Irene) Lueck, Walter Lueck; sisters Ruby (Carl) Brandenburg, Rose Marie (LaRay) Norlin; sister-in-law Lois (Robert) Becher, brother-in law Harvey (Lynn) Heup, son Charles Heup, and granddaughter Allison Beiser.

Funeral services will be held at 11AM, on Friday, December 19, 2025, at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, 930 E Florida Ave. The visitation will be held on Friday at the church from 9AM until the time of the service. Interment will be at Highland Memorial Park, Appleton. The service will be livestreamed and available at mountoliveappleton.com for those unable to attend in person.

I know that my Redemer Lives (Job 19:25a)