Elaine Trelka, 77

Elaine Trelka, of Stevens Point, passed away peacefully at home on July 25, 2025, at the age of 77.

A Celebration of Life will take place Sunday, Aug. 3, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Shuda Funeral Chapel, 3200 Stanley St., Stevens Point.

Elaine was born March 2, 1948, in Mill Creek, Wisconsin, daughter of the late Thomas and Alice (née Hoppa) Krupka. She grew up on a farm, where she enjoyed spending time with her brother. In 1966, Elaine graduated from P.J. Jacobs High School.

Following high school, Elaine started working at Thorp Finance in Stevens Point, where she did typing, shorthand, transcribing, and bookkeeping. Her typing skills became well developed, and she was proud to say she could type 65 words per minute on a manual typewriter with no mistakes. Over the years, she held a variety of other jobs including the family farm, Mischnick Bus Service in Junction City, Jackson School in Stevens Point as a secretary, and the Bliss Center.

Elaine liked to tell stories of the little ones at Jackson School—especially how, when a child would misbehave and get sent to the principal’s office, she would give them a little treat before they went in. Elaine truly enjoyed going to work every day, no matter the job.

In her retirement years, Elaine found a quaint place to live in the park community in Stevens Point. She used her space to grow a vegetable garden, which she loved taking care of. She often gave her vegetables away, which led to countless friendships. Elaine was very creative and enjoyed visiting shops and restaurants, reading, and cooking. When people learned she could play the accordion—and play it well—they were pleasantly surprised. She used her talents to provide dinner music on occasion at the Lincoln Center, a place she enjoyed talking to and helping visitors. However, her musical talents also meant she had to shoo a gentleman away a few times who was singing too closely to her. After all, she was not afraid to speak her mind when needed, and her quick wit was unmatched.

Elaine passed away with a smile on her face, as she was so grateful for all her fortunes in life: her good friends, neighbors, and family. One of her final outings was to the Junction Picnic, where she had a wonderful day. She was so happy to have a chicken dinner from the Bunny Hop and enjoyed walking around, visiting with everyone. Thank you to everyone who took the time to say hi to her; it meant so much to her.

Elaine is survived by her children, Amy (Marty) Schnieder of Auburndale, Wayne Trelka of Junction City, and Brad Trelka of Junction City; and her grandchildren, Colin and Kale Schneider of Auburndale.

She was preceded in death by her mother and stepfather, Alice and Sylvester Stroik of Stevens Point; her father, Thomas Krupka of Stevens Point; and her brother, George (Kay) Krupka of Antigo, Wisconsin.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the Stevens Point Police and Fire Departments, the Portage County Sheriff’s Department, the medical examiner, Shuda Funeral Chapel, and the residents of Holiday Park for offering guidance and respect during this difficult time.