Elaine (Ellie) Joyce Soukup was born December 23, 1932, in Phillips, NE to Lon and Myrtle Wadkins. Ellie grew up in Phillips, Oak, Hartington and David City, NE where she met her high school sweetheart Marion (Mike) Soukup. They were married on September 6, 1953. They lived in San Diego, CA and Long Beach, CA while Mike was in the Navy, returned to Lincoln, NE once Mike was discharged in 1955. To this union they adopted a son Michael Eugene Soukup born on April 7, 1962, in Las Vegas, NV. In 1964, they moved to Milford, NE. where they owned and operated Soukup’s Conoco gas station. They moved to Imperial, NE in 2001 to be closer to their son who lived in Colorado.

Ellie graduated from David City High School and then attended Nurse’s Training for one year and then attended Business School for a year. Her work history started working for her parents at the local grocery store in David City, NE and then as a nurse’s aide, secretary, accounting department, cleaning commercial businesses, assistant librarian and then moved up to librarian for the city of Milford. She was Employee of the Month in 1983 in Milford when she was the librarian. When they moved to Imperial, NE, Ellie worked at the Imperial Library, Southside liquor store and Hegwood Trenching.

Ellie was baptized at the Methodist Church in Oak, NE. She took her faith seriously; she was always willing to help. Ellie attended the Berean Church in Imperial and Ellie was very active in AWANA’s. She always crocheted slippers for each kid in her class. When she got to the point, she couldn’t continue helping a young lady was upset as she wasn’t going to get a pair of slippers from Ellie because she would be in the next class.

Ellie had many hobbies such as camping, crocheting, embroidering, playing cards and reading. She loved to bake and all the relatives loved her homemade chocolate cake and homemade noodles. Ellie enjoyed many of her friends and sister Donna Winscot stopping over for visits, phone call visits, her daily meals from the Imperial Senior Center, deliveries from Pam Leibhardt with books from the library as she read approximately 5 books a week.

Ellie was preceded in death by her husband Mike of 50 years, parent’s Lon and Myrtle Wadkins, sisters Betty Goecke and Beverly McElravy, brothers Gene ad Keith Wadkins.

Ellie is survived by her son Michael (Roxana) Soukup, Arvada, CO, Grandsons Matthew (Rachel) Soukup, Santa Road, FL and Chad (Jamie) Soukup, Bountiful, UT. Granddaughter Jasmin Gaxiola, Prescott, AZ. Great Grandchildren Lilyanna Soukup, Emery Soukup, Hendrix Soukup, Jayce Soukup. Sister, Donna Winscot, Imperial, NE and Brother- in- Law Norman Soukup, Freeport, IL. Also, numerous nieces and nephews.

Elaine Joyce Soukup passed away on May 30, 2026 at the Wauneta Care and Therapy in Wauneta, NE. Funeral Services will be held Saturday, June 6, 2026 at 10:30 A.M. (MT) at the Berean Church in Imperial, with Pastor Matt Maxwell officiating. A private family inurnment to be held at a later date.

Memorial Contributions may be made in Ellie’s memory to the Imperial Senior Center.