Obituary for Elke Melanie Wieland
Elke Melanie Wieland, age 47, of Gilmer, TX, formerly of Alabama, died April 10, 2022 in Winnsboro, TX.
Elke is preceded in death by her mother Eloina S. Wieland, M.D. and her father Steven G. Wieland (Big Steve), and survived by her son Arthur-Steven H. McCrory (ASH), 17, daughter Laila Wynne McCrory, 15, and her sisters Ivonne Vargas, M.D. of AL (husband Rogelio Velez, M.D., and daughters Mara and Daniela Velez), Gisela Vargas, M.D. of FL (sons Steven and Carlos Diaz), and Melissa A. Wieland of AL (husband Andrew Wiersma).
Born in Mayaguez, P.R. and raised in Cheshire, CT, Elke moved to North Alabama in 1994 and pursued her nursing degree from Northeast Alabama Community College while acting as a nanny. Since the start of the pandemic, Elke has been working as an RN at Christus Health Systems in Tyler and Winnsboro, TX. She was well-known for having a never-ending supply of genuine compassion for her patients and others, and her big heart knew no bounds.
A talented artist who liked to draw and paint in her youth, Elke channeled her creativity as an adult into a variety of crafts, often gifting friends and family with her homemade holiday-themed wreaths and decor. Elke loved the outdoors and you could often find her and her family on the water fishing, swimming, or boating, and she even enjoyed primitive camping with her son and daughter and their dogs.
Elke was also a wonderful baker and she spent days every Christmas baking hundreds of cookies in several varieties to gift to patients, coworkers, family, and friends. She was famous for her authentic Puerto Rican Flan, and would be sure to make enough every year so that everyone could eat some for dessert and take plenty home to enjoy later. For Elke, baking was a family tradition passed to her by her mother, but to all who knew her it was a beautiful and delicious act of love and service that reflected the deep love and profound kindness of her big heart.
Visitation will be held from 11 am - 1 pm on Friday, April 15, 2022 at Beaty Funeral Home, 816 W Broadway, Winnsboro, TX 75494.
Elke is preceded in death by her mother Eloina S. Wieland, M.D. and her father Steven G. Wieland (Big Steve), and survived by her son Arthur-Steven H. McCrory (ASH), 17, daughter Laila Wynne McCrory, 15, and her sisters Ivonne Vargas, M.D. of AL (husband Rogelio Velez, M.D., and daughters Mara and Daniela Velez), Gisela Vargas, M.D. of FL (sons Steven and Carlos Diaz), and Melissa A. Wieland of AL (husband Andrew Wiersma).
Born in Mayaguez, P.R. and raised in Cheshire, CT, Elke moved to North Alabama in 1994 and pursued her nursing degree from Northeast Alabama Community College while acting as a nanny. Since the start of the pandemic, Elke has been working as an RN at Christus Health Systems in Tyler and Winnsboro, TX. She was well-known for having a never-ending supply of genuine compassion for her patients and others, and her big heart knew no bounds.
A talented artist who liked to draw and paint in her youth, Elke channeled her creativity as an adult into a variety of crafts, often gifting friends and family with her homemade holiday-themed wreaths and decor. Elke loved the outdoors and you could often find her and her family on the water fishing, swimming, or boating, and she even enjoyed primitive camping with her son and daughter and their dogs.
Elke was also a wonderful baker and she spent days every Christmas baking hundreds of cookies in several varieties to gift to patients, coworkers, family, and friends. She was famous for her authentic Puerto Rican Flan, and would be sure to make enough every year so that everyone could eat some for dessert and take plenty home to enjoy later. For Elke, baking was a family tradition passed to her by her mother, but to all who knew her it was a beautiful and delicious act of love and service that reflected the deep love and profound kindness of her big heart.
Visitation will be held from 11 am - 1 pm on Friday, April 15, 2022 at Beaty Funeral Home, 816 W Broadway, Winnsboro, TX 75494.