Obituary of Elinor Ann George

The Lord must have needed another angel.  Elinor A George died of cancer on Tuesday, January 21, 2020.  She was 83.

Ellie’s entire life revolved around the quiet good things…raising sons, loving grandkids, gardening and reaching out to anyone who needed her touch.  To her family, she made the simplest things special, whether it was childhood owl cookies or the lighting of candles on the Christmas tree. As a Stephen Minister she was patient and persistent, a faithful, caring counselor who found joyful fulfillment in discipleship.

Under it all she was a farm girl from South Dakota, born on December 6, 1936, the first of John and Elvera Elsings’ four children. She grew up in the house where her father was born, raised 4-H prize-winning pigs, drove a grain truck for the wheat harvest and attended a 1-thru-8^th grade one room school house until she and her cousin went off to the nearest town for high school. Even as 14 year-olds they boarded alone in Aberdeen. A clue to a lifetime of self-sufficiency.

She graduated from Northern State University in Aberdeen as a Gypsy Day princess and went to Minneapolis to work with the Pillsbury doughboy. Bill was at General Mills and it took two blind dates and an afternoon at a Vikings game for their love to take hold. They married in 1964 and over 55 years their love never dimmed. Despite his vow of always Minneapolis they moved to St. Louis, then Racine, Wis. and for a few years England as he became a business executive.  As his wife in that world, her selflessness and personal warmth could disarm even the most self-important.

Homemaker, Mother and Grandmother were her favorite titles. On camping trips with the kids she cooked gourmet meals over a Coleman stove and, later, loved hiking trips with husband and friends.  The absolute best of times were family reunions, either around Christmas or on   summer days in special places with great laughter and romping grandkids. A daughter-in-law told her,” You are amazingly generous with your love. I’m eternally grateful to have you as my mother-in-law.”

Ellie and Bill retired to Chapel Hill, first to Governors Club for 20 years and last to The Cedars—all interspersed with church work and travel, one her trip to Ethiopia to assist in the adoption of their youngest grandchild. 

Surviving her are husband Bill; three sons David, Douglas and Stephen; daughters-in-law Amy, Christina and Megan and six grandchildren Nate, Kayla, Lillie, Elise, Owen and Sembate. Also, her sister Evelyn and two brothers, John and Jim.

This whole story is about her beliefs and how beautifully she lived them. Ellie gave a touching testimony to the power of love at one of the son’s weddings. It was about family but also about a love that “surrounds us all the time. I am speaking of God’s love.”  She noted: He can help us through hardship, loss or grief and “we don’t need to be consumed with ourselves because we know God is caring for us”.  She felt His presence each of these last long days.

Consoling thoughts …no one is going to feel more at home in Heaven than this lovely soul. Memorial gifts may be directed to the Andrew Greganti Professorship, Medical Foundation of N.C.,PO Box 1050, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514 or Christ United Methodist Church, 800 Market Street. Chapel Hill, NC, 27516.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at 1:00 pm at Christ United Methodist Church, 800 Market Street (Southern Village), Chapel Hill, NC.

The George family is under the care of Walker's Funeral Home of Chapel Hill.