Elaine A Secher

Elaine A. Secher passed away March 10, 2018 after a brief illness in David City, NE having been surrounded by friends and family earlier in the day.

Elaine or Aunt Ilie as she was known, lived a full life and touched the lives of many. Ilie’s non-assuming bubbly personality was infectious. She had a beautiful way of making people smile from the inside out with her positive humor, upbeat attitude and great stories. It is little wonder that so many grew to know and love her throughout her life which started and ended in rural Nebraska.



Ilie was born to Agnes and Joseph Sisel on their family farm on July 29, 1932 near Brainard, Nebraska. She follows in death her siblings; older brother Donald and younger brothers Marvin, and Larry. Her love for her family both past and present was central and she often spoke of her early farm life with her brothers and parents. The work was hard but her descriptions of milking cows, threshing, picking corn and feeding animals starting at a very young age were always told with a smile and a sense of pride. She married Jack J. Secher on June 4,1955 and moved to Redding, MA where she lived and worked for several years gaining many lifelong friends. Ilie visited family throughout the years traveling to Virginia and South Dakota for visits, weddings and baptisms. Ilie returned to David City in 2008 where she lived out her final years, once again surrounded by friends. Ilie often said how she missed being so far from family in Nebraska and was happy to return.



On her final day and in classic Ilie fashion with her incredible memory and wit, she summarized her life with humor and introspect, noting that she out-lived all of her family having reached the age of 85. She said it was a good life, hugged her family, and good-naturedly raised her fist to tell her “favorite” great nephew not to smoke or she’ll “knuckle” him. She smiled and after another visit from a wonderful lifelong friend let herself return home. We all thank God for giving her to us and may she Rest In Peace.