Della Elaine Novak

Born Della Elaine Prothero in January 1941. She was the 2ndborn to Zenita E. (Wiggins) and Ralph Lorenzo. Less than typical but much more than normal, her life began and continued to be influenced by her family, but it all shaped her to be the adventurous, people-person that she was.  She suffered loss in life: Her father, Ralph, passing when she was 9; her brother, Sidney, when she was 10; her aunt, Jessie, when she was 43; her maternal grandmother, Maude AKA Grandma Chico, when she was 54; her brother, Roger, when she was 55; her mom’s twin sister, Nina, when she was 60; her mother, Nita, when she was 61; her granddaughter, Heather, when she was 79, and her baby sister, Katina when she was 81.  

But for all the loss, she lived a life full of love, family, and friends.  She was married to Thomas Novak from 1959 until 1978. She had 4 “perfect” children (her words): Deborah (Debbie), Michelle (Shella), Michael (Mike), and Jeanette (Jet).  In Detroit, she was a bank teller, mother, and wife. When her brother-in-law, David, brought his German wife, Frauke, to the States, Della was one of her first friends and remained family and friends even after David and Frauke were divorced.  She ran Novak’s Country Store in Hope, Michigan from 1969 until 1977. She had cultivated many friendships in Hope, one with Rita Hall that would continue to the day she passed. Rita was more than a friend, she worked at the store, also.  The Hall and Novak family would continue to be friends even after the Novak family moved away from Hope. Della was the mom who would take a Suburban full of kids to the movies, to a pizza place, or to and from whatever sports event they were playing in or watching.  She was the kind of mom that you were not embarrassed to be seen with.

In 1978, she would find a new love…a love for the state of Hawaii and the island of Oahu.  After her divorce, she dropped Della as her first name (although legally it still was) and asked to be called Elaine (her middle name). She felt more at home on the island than she had anywhere before.  She held many jobs in her Oahu years and made many friends who would remain friends until her passing.  Just to name a few of these long-time friends:  Carol and Tom, Peggy, Jon Lee, Alan, Kili, Dixie, Judy, Sharon, and Zoey. She sold Sandak and Happy Feet sandals for a short time.  She worked for a property management company, TPM, for years. All the while, the island gave her the spirit of Aloha that would resonate in her life no matter where she went. She would participate in the annual Aloha Run, was a regular at The Wave Waikiki, had friends from all walks of life from all over the island, and enjoyed the beaches as well as the people.

In 1992, Hurricane Iniki hit the island of Kauai and changed Elaine's life again.  In April 1994, following her daughter, Jet, and Jet’s boyfriend, Holt, to Kauai, she would find a deeper love for this island.  A slower pace, a garden-like place, and the only place she would consider home for years to come. Here she and Jet would entertain family from Germany and show them the more peaceful lush-green side of Hawaii.

In 1998, Jet and Elaine went to LA, California to visit Zoey who was a friend from Oahu.  Zoey had been and would be a forever friend. Then, they would travel north and pick up Elaine’s mother, Nita, and take her back to Oahu. Elaine and Jet lived in a small bungalow situation so they each had their separate place but were right next to each other.  This allowed Elaine to have a wonderful garden in front of their place. Nita’s health was waning and Elaine would take on the role of caregiver for the final years of Nita’s life. 

Living life means dealing with change.  Elaine and Jet would roll with the highs and lows as they came. One such wave meant Elaine moving to Nebraska in 2003 to live with Debbie who had retired from the Air Force and stayed in Bellevue. Jet stayed in Oahu. Elaine would use Nebraska as a “home base” while traveling back and forth to Kauai and California. Elaine was a positive influence on Allen, Debbie’s son, and helped shape him to be the man he is today.

Elaine left Oahu and traveled to Australia and New Mexico, each time, thinking a relationship was waiting. She ended up with an ache in her heart and heading back to Hawaii.  She traveled to see friends and relatives in Germany.  She traveled across the US a few times from Michigan to California and back.  She drove a beat-up van that she named “Boldly Go” from Nebraska to California.  She was not afraid to go places and try new things. 

Elaine and Jet spent time in California with her sister, Tina.  She made a friend in Manteca named Sandra. It was crowded but, the family was there for the family. She had good and hard memories of the times in Manteca.  Her sister’s daughter, Sheila, lived close enough to visit but did not live with Tina. Sometimes it is hard with family, and you just need your space. So, Jet went back to Oahu, and Elaine went back to Nebraska. Elaine made a couple of trips to see her sister in California.  When her sister passed, a part of Elaine was irreparably broken.   

One of her stays on Kauai, she worked at the airport doing housekeeping duties and loved seeing the people come and go. Her friends, Cynthia and Brenda, stayed in touch even after she left Kauai. She was easy to approach and talk to; this was apparent when she was engaged in conversation by tourists, and those who were coming home or leaving the island. Her roommate’s boyfriend was in a band called the Bootleggers. She often wore the black tank top with the Bootlegger's name on it; it was one of her favorites.  

On one of Elaine’s last trips to Kauai, she lived across the street from a field with horses.  She was in the hills of Kapaa.  She made two friends there: One was her roommate, Traci, and the other was her neighbor, Jennifer. This trip started in 2019 and ended in Aug 2020. Due to health issues, Debbie flew to Kauai amid strict COVID protocols to bring Elaine back to Nebraska.  A brief stop in California to see her sister Tina and her niece, Sheila, as well as her grandson, Allen, who was stationed at Beale AFB – not far from where Elaine spent some of her childhood. Elaine only returned one more time to Kauai and stayed a month in Lihue. She was bound and determined to get back to the island but never achieved that goal.

Elaine’s time in Nebraska spanned over a decade.  She was a constant in the house for Ipo, Debbie’s dog, when Debbie was at work or away on a trip.  Ipo means sweetheart in Hawaiian and Elaine did influence Debbie's choosing that name. She had friends in Bellevue, neighbors, and family friends, Sally, Maria, Maia, Jen, and her boys, Jalani and Jacob, Dr. John Harris (who was her doctor the whole time in Nebraska), neighbors Terrence and Jen and their 3 children as well as Brian and Christine and their two boys, new neighbor Johnnie and his family, The Taylor (JT and Diane) family that shared their family with Elaine and Debbie.  Elaine had a special connection to the Taylor children, Maverick, Jacob, and Autumn. They called her Tutu (Hawaiian for grandmother) and she enjoyed the time with spent with them. Some of Debbie’s “adopted” kids were friends to Elaine as well as family: Jen, John, and Ka’saan. She always said “Aloha” when ending a conversation or call.  She was a hugger. Many of her Hawaiian artifacts remain in Nebraska like the sign at the front door that says “Walk in, Hula out,” shell necklaces adorning the bathroom, and a room filled with memories and treasures yet to be discovered.

Elaine was loved by many people and they would come visit her either in Hawaii or Nebraska.  Her daughter, Jet, lived with her several times in Oahu, Kauai, and Nebraska; but ended up back in Oahu. Elaine would always encourage conversations amongst her children and group chats between the girls during football season was a blessing and a curse.  Elaine loved that they could all share an interest, but the girls did not use an “indoor voice” and that hurt Elaine’s ears. Even though Jet lived in Hawaii, Elaine was always there for Jet – at the other end of the phone to share happy stories or anger and frustration. Elaine would make calls and do what she could from Nebraska to let Jet know she was supported and loved. Her other daughter Michelle, visited repeatedly when Elaine lived in Oahu and then in Nebraska. She would bring Heather to Nebraska several times to spend time with Elaine, bake pies, and go to the zoo.  Michelle called Elaine “mamasita” and that was her special term of endearment. Even after Heather passed, Michelle would come to visit Elaine in Nebraska and enjoy the time they got to share and the stories they told each other.  Elaine visited Mike in Michigan and Florida for short stays, never long enough for her, but she did what she could.  Mike would make random calls, usually while driving, to catch up with Elaine. Mike ordered her pizza more than once to show he cared; even on Kauai where pizza delivery service is scarce. Debbie knew she could not “keep” Elaine in Nebraska because her heart was in Hawaii.  Debbie did notalways appreciate the rare connection she had with Elaine, but she knew that having Elaine in her house kept her grounded.Little things like saying “Good night, Mary Ellen” and having Elaine reply, “Good night, John-boy” at bedtime were so easy to take for granted when Elaine was here. 

Elaine loved nature and encouraged Debbie to feed the “critters” outside.  This consisted of raccoons, possums, squirrels, and birds. She did not necessarily like the idea of animals in confinement, but loved seeing the Gorillas at the Henry Doorley Zoo.  Debbie took a candid photo of a gorilla when Elaine was in the hospital one time.  This picture hangs on the living room wall and is known as “Tutu’s boyfriend.”

Being an adult and spending time with your parent is a gift you don’t unwrap until they are gone; it is then you realize the treasure of all the moments and memories that you made in real-time.

Elaine’s spirit will be carried forward in her children, grand, and great-grandchildren.  Debbie’s daughter, Angela Joy, and herson, Tyler. Debbie’s son, Allen. Michelle’s son, Justin, and his daughters: Abigail, Addison, and Aubrey. Michelle’s daughter, Rachel, and her daughters: Brenna, Harleigh, Zoey, and Quinn. Mike’s son, Matthew, and his son, Fox. Mike’s daughter, Samantha, and her children: Jasmyn, Owen, and Meredith. Mike’s daughter, Stephanie, and her sons: Jace, Wyatt, and Silas.

“Find me where you know I need to be” a note Elaine wrote to herself. Hawaiians say – malama kekahi I kekahi, which means, “to take care of one another.”      D. Elaine Novak’s final Aloha was 15 Feb 2024.