AUGUSTA – Ilene A. Nelke, 85, of Church Street, Livermore Falls, died early Saturday morning, Nov. 12, at MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta, where she had been a patient for seven days.

She was born on Oct. 30, 1920, in Hartford, to Charles and Margaret (Benyon) DeCosta. The last of seven children, Ilene was raised by her Aunt Georgie Gurney. She graduated from Canton High School and Farmington Teachers College.

On July 23, 1941, she married Reuel L. Nelke.

She and her husband moved to Livermore Falls in 2005, making their residence with their daughter, Alice.

She was a teacher in Skowhegan and retired from her teaching career as a special education teacher from the Pittsfield school system in 1984. She was a member of the Maine Education Association, the National Education Association and Skowhegan United Methodist Church.

She enjoyed ceramics, and showing Shih Tzu and Pekingese dogs throughout the state.

She is survived by her husband, Reuel of Livermore Falls; a daughter, Alice Nelke of Livermore Falls; two grandsons, Duane Tweedie and his wife, Janet, of Turner, and Jeff Tweedie and his wife, Jennifer, of Winthrop; and three great-grandchildren, Desiree Tweedie and twin boys, Cameron and Shane Tweedie.

She was predeceased by her son, Brian Nelke, in 1973.

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