March 19, 1927 to February 16, 2020

Eleanor Jean Wendlandt, a longtime resident of Spencer, Iowa and Sun City, Arizona, died February 16, 2020 at Orchard Pointe at Arrowhead in Glendale, Arizona. Eleanor was born on March 19, 1927, in Newell, Iowa to Alexander and Eulalia Anderson. She was the fourth of four children.

Eleanor grew up on a small family farm during the Depression and World War II, along with her brothers Joel and Ken and sister Margaret. She remained extremely close to her siblings her entire life and even spent time with Margaret working in the Civil Service Commission in Washington, D.C. during World War II. During high school, Eleanor was active in sports and band. Eleanor graduated from Iowa State Teacher's College, now the University of Northern Iowa, with an associate degree.

In 1947, she married Gerna Lee Lookingbill. At that time Lee was attending the University of Iowa and Eleanor was teaching at Kalona, a small town nearby. With the birth of the first of seven children, and Lee's graduation from Iowa, she and Lee moved onto her family's farm for a short period of time. Eleanor and Lee settled in Spencer in 1953, eventually purchasing a home on East 2nd Street where they raised six children and lived for over 40 years. After her children started school, Eleanor worked part time at the local Montgomery Wards and then moved on to a full time position with a local optometrist.

From the time she moved to Spencer, Eleanor was involved with the First Congregational Church. She served as Sunday School Superintendent, was a member of various "Circles" and committees, and was a delegate to the National Association of Congregational Churches regional and national meetings. She remained involved with the church until her year-round re-location to Arizona. Even then, she considered the First Congregational Church in Spencer to be her "spiritual home". Eleanor also loved the Clay County Fair, working for many years in the box office and then main office. She was a regular attendee and enjoyed many concerts and displays, even when she wasn't "working the fair." Eleanor always pursued her love of music. She played her baritone in two bands in the Sun City area during the winter. During the summers, she played with the Spencer Municipal band and was honored for her involvement there.

After the death of Lee in 1994, Eleanor married William "Bill" Wendlandt of Spencer. She and Bill spent almost twenty happy years together before Bill's death in 2015. Eleanor continued to live in Spencer during the summer months and winter in "Paradise Park" in Arizona. She moved into Orchard Pointe, an assisted living facility, in 2018. There, she quickly integrated into her new "home"/community and became involved in many activities available there. Among her favorite activities were the art classes and bingo.

Eleanor was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Joel and Kenneth Anderson, sister Margaret Bearse, husbands Lee Lookingbill and William "Bill" Wendlandt, sons Dwight and Dennis Lookingbill, daughter Colleen Lookingbill and daughter-in-law Ruth Hograbe. She is survived by her sons David (Julie Spalla) Lookingbill, Dean (Mary) Lookingbill, Darwin (David Potter) Lookingbill and Duane Lookingbill; step-sons John (Dianne) Wendlandt, William "Bill, Jr." (Ramona) Wendlandt, step-daughter Ann Silberman; grandchildren Wendy (Brandon) Carlson, Derek (Alanta) Lookingbill, Anna (Joel) Steele, Rachel (Davis) Weyant and Rebecca (Grant) Winters, Emily Silberman; and nine great grandchildren.

All who knew her, realized that Eleanor was a person of great inner strength who lived life to its fullest. A Celebration of Life will be held at the First Congregational Church in Spencer, Iowa on May 1, 2020 at 2:00 p.m.. Please, let us celebrate her passing as she lived her life, with love, joy, and laughter. Instead of flowers, the family asks that Eleanor be remembered through a gift to the First Congregational Church in Spencer, IA, in her name. A music scholarship fund is expected to be established.