Gretchen L. Elkins, 81, of Palmer, passed away on Friday, November 29, 2024, at the Howard County Medical Center in St. Paul.  

Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at Jacobsen-Greenway-Dietz Funeral Home in St. Paul.  Pastor Gordon Paulsen will be officiating.  A Private Committal service will be held at the Grand Island City Cemetery.  

Visitation will be held from 5-7 P.M. on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, at Jacobsen-Greenway-Dietz Funeral Home in St. Paul.  In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the family to be designated at a later date. 

Gretchen was born on July 26, 1943, to Alfred “Pete” and Betty Schlueter in Palmer.  She grew up and received her education in Palmer, graduating in 1961. She was united in marriage to Jim Petersen in 1960. Three sons were born to this union: Jim, Tim, and Tom. The family lived outside of St. Paul where Gretchen and Jim farmed together.  He passed away in 1973.  On November 8, 1983, she married Darrell Elkins in Grand Island and gained a step-daughter, Jennifer.  Gretchen and Darrell enjoyed camping in South Dakota and Texas where they worked at the KOA campgrounds.  When they weren’t camping, they enjoyed flipping houses together.  They attended the Zion Methodist Church in Archer, Nebraska.  Over the years, she was employed by the Conestoga Mall, Wayne’s Pawn Shop, and G.I. Loan.

Gretchen would do anything for anyone, and she always put others before herself.  She loved angels, playing the piano, and getting together for coffee with the ladies.  She was extremely proud to be a part of her stock car racing family.  Her greatest enjoyment in life was hanging out with her grandkids and great grandkids, helping out whenever she could. She truly loved her family, and she will always be remembered for making the Holidays extra special!

Those left to cherish her memory include her husband, Darrell of Palmer; sons and daughters-in-law, Jim and Debra Petersen of Grand Island, Tim and Sabra Petersen of Grand Island, and Tom and Naomi Petersen, of St. Paul; step-daughter and step-son-in-law, Jennifer and Schwan Naylor of Eustis, NE; grandchildren, Tasha, Kenzie, Megan, Jordan, Josh, Ella, Ava, and Jacob; great-grandchildren, Taylor, Joey, Allie, Maddie, Zaidyn, Rylee, Sawyer, and Ivy; 3 step-grandchildren, Cody, Ezra, and Elizabeth; sister, Pamela Bandt of York; and brother, Bill Schlueter of Grand Island.

Gretchen was preceded in death by her parents; first husband, Jim; and 2 step-sons, Brad Elkins and Brian Elkins.