ROCK ISLAND — Eleanor Wallace, a resident of Rock Island for more than 65 years, died Thursday after a long and heroic battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was 83.
Eleanor was a stay-at-home mom who used her skills and talents to mold her children, guide her husband and create a better community.
Services will be 10 a.m. Monday at Congregation Beth Israel at the Tri-City Jewish Center, Rock Island. Burial is at Hebrew Cemetery, Rock Island. Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home, Rock Island is assisting the family. In lieu of flowers, send donations to the Alzheimer’s Association, Miami Valley Chapter.
Eleanor grew up in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and moved to Rock Island during high school to attend St. Katherine’s School. She was active in the thespian society and was voted the girl with the best sense of humor.
She then headed to the University of Michigan, where she majored in French. Her plan was to become an interpreter at the United Nations. However, that plan changed when she met Frank Wallace, a law student at Michigan. They both described it as love at first sight. They married in 1953, when he graduated from law school. That instant love endured and deepened until his death in 2013.
After marrying, the couple moved to Chicago for a few years, and then Eleanor and her Brooklyn-born husband moved to Rock Island. He practiced law for many years.
In Rock Island, Eleanor immersed herself in charitable and social activities. She regularly modeled in fashion shows, volunteered at the hospital, became a Brownie leader and was a volunteer elementary school teacher and the president of the PTA.
When Eleanor turned 40, she became interested in athletics and began biking, playing tennis and running. She enjoyed the social aspect of tennis (never liked biking), but her true passion was running.
She won numerous track awards, including holding three Illinois state records in her age group and winning five national Senior Olympics awards. She was secretary of the Cornbelt Running Club and attended two Olympiads.
Eleanor was a delegate to the 2000 National Democratic Convention and was a member of the Rock Island Parks and Recreation Board. During that time, she lobbied successfully for the area’s first dog park.
In 2013, she moved to Dayton, Ohio, to be close to her daughter Julia and her family.
She will be missed by daughter, Julia (Don Campbell); son, Charles (Ashley); granddaughters, Emmaline and Eden; sister, Barbara Learner; and the many friends and caregivers who will always treasure her kind spirit.
Eleanor was a stay-at-home mom who used her skills and talents to mold her children, guide her husband and create a better community.
Services will be 10 a.m. Monday at Congregation Beth Israel at the Tri-City Jewish Center, Rock Island. Burial is at Hebrew Cemetery, Rock Island. Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home, Rock Island is assisting the family. In lieu of flowers, send donations to the Alzheimer’s Association, Miami Valley Chapter.
Eleanor grew up in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and moved to Rock Island during high school to attend St. Katherine’s School. She was active in the thespian society and was voted the girl with the best sense of humor.
She then headed to the University of Michigan, where she majored in French. Her plan was to become an interpreter at the United Nations. However, that plan changed when she met Frank Wallace, a law student at Michigan. They both described it as love at first sight. They married in 1953, when he graduated from law school. That instant love endured and deepened until his death in 2013.
After marrying, the couple moved to Chicago for a few years, and then Eleanor and her Brooklyn-born husband moved to Rock Island. He practiced law for many years.
In Rock Island, Eleanor immersed herself in charitable and social activities. She regularly modeled in fashion shows, volunteered at the hospital, became a Brownie leader and was a volunteer elementary school teacher and the president of the PTA.
When Eleanor turned 40, she became interested in athletics and began biking, playing tennis and running. She enjoyed the social aspect of tennis (never liked biking), but her true passion was running.
She won numerous track awards, including holding three Illinois state records in her age group and winning five national Senior Olympics awards. She was secretary of the Cornbelt Running Club and attended two Olympiads.
Eleanor was a delegate to the 2000 National Democratic Convention and was a member of the Rock Island Parks and Recreation Board. During that time, she lobbied successfully for the area’s first dog park.
In 2013, she moved to Dayton, Ohio, to be close to her daughter Julia and her family.
She will be missed by daughter, Julia (Don Campbell); son, Charles (Ashley); granddaughters, Emmaline and Eden; sister, Barbara Learner; and the many friends and caregivers who will always treasure her kind spirit.
ROCK ISLAND — Eleanor Wallace, a resident of Rock Island for more than 65 years, died Thursday after a long and heroic battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was 83.
Eleanor was a stay-at-home mom who used her skills and talents to mold her children, guide her husband and create a better community.
Services will be 10 a.m. Monday at Congregation Beth Israel at the Tri-City Jewish Center, Rock Island. Burial is at Hebrew Cemetery, Rock Island. Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home, Rock Island is assisting the family. In lieu of flowers, send donations to the Alzheimer’s Association, Miami Valley Chapter.
Eleanor grew up in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and moved to Rock Island during high school to attend St. Katherine’s School. She was active in the thespian society and was voted the girl with the best sense of humor.
She then headed to the University of Michigan, where she majored in French. Her plan was to become an interpreter at the United Nations. However, that plan changed when she met Frank Wallace, a law student at Michigan. They both described it as love at first sight. They married in 1953, when he graduated from law school. That instant love endured and deepened until his death in 2013.
After marrying, the couple moved to Chicago for a few years, and then Eleanor and her Brooklyn-born husband moved to Rock Island. He practiced law for many years.
In Rock Island, Eleanor immersed herself in charitable and social activities. She regularly modeled in fashion shows, volunteered at the hospital, became a Brownie leader and was a volunteer elementary school teacher and the president of the PTA.
When Eleanor turned 40, she became interested in athletics and began biking, playing tennis and running. She enjoyed the social aspect of tennis (never liked biking), but her true passion was running.
She won numerous track awards, including holding three Illinois state records in her age group and winning five national Senior Olympics awards. She was secretary of the Cornbelt Running Club and attended two Olympiads.
Eleanor was a delegate to the 2000 National Democratic Convention and was a member of the Rock Island Parks and Recreation Board. During that time, she lobbied successfully for the area’s first dog park.
In 2013, she moved to Dayton, Ohio, to be close to her daughter Julia and her family.
She will be missed by daughter, Julia (Don Campbell); son, Charles (Ashley); granddaughters, Emmaline and Eden; sister, Barbara Learner; and the many friends and caregivers who will always treasure her kind spirit.
Eleanor was a stay-at-home mom who used her skills and talents to mold her children, guide her husband and create a better community.
Services will be 10 a.m. Monday at Congregation Beth Israel at the Tri-City Jewish Center, Rock Island. Burial is at Hebrew Cemetery, Rock Island. Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home, Rock Island is assisting the family. In lieu of flowers, send donations to the Alzheimer’s Association, Miami Valley Chapter.
Eleanor grew up in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and moved to Rock Island during high school to attend St. Katherine’s School. She was active in the thespian society and was voted the girl with the best sense of humor.
She then headed to the University of Michigan, where she majored in French. Her plan was to become an interpreter at the United Nations. However, that plan changed when she met Frank Wallace, a law student at Michigan. They both described it as love at first sight. They married in 1953, when he graduated from law school. That instant love endured and deepened until his death in 2013.
After marrying, the couple moved to Chicago for a few years, and then Eleanor and her Brooklyn-born husband moved to Rock Island. He practiced law for many years.
In Rock Island, Eleanor immersed herself in charitable and social activities. She regularly modeled in fashion shows, volunteered at the hospital, became a Brownie leader and was a volunteer elementary school teacher and the president of the PTA.
When Eleanor turned 40, she became interested in athletics and began biking, playing tennis and running. She enjoyed the social aspect of tennis (never liked biking), but her true passion was running.
She won numerous track awards, including holding three Illinois state records in her age group and winning five national Senior Olympics awards. She was secretary of the Cornbelt Running Club and attended two Olympiads.
Eleanor was a delegate to the 2000 National Democratic Convention and was a member of the Rock Island Parks and Recreation Board. During that time, she lobbied successfully for the area’s first dog park.
In 2013, she moved to Dayton, Ohio, to be close to her daughter Julia and her family.
She will be missed by daughter, Julia (Don Campbell); son, Charles (Ashley); granddaughters, Emmaline and Eden; sister, Barbara Learner; and the many friends and caregivers who will always treasure her kind spirit.
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