Eleanor Tyler, 97

May 2, 1923 —

Sept. 8, 2020

 

FORMERLY CHESTER - Eleanor E. Tyler, age 97 of Winona, Minn. and formerly of Chester, Iowa, passed away on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020 at Benedictine Living Community-Winona.

Private family graveside service will be held with inter at Chester Hill Cemetery in rural Chester.

Eleanor Elaine was born on May 2, 1923, in Ellendale, Minn. to Henry and Laura (Nikoley) Stevensen. She graduated in 1941 from Chester High School and attended St. Olaf College at Northfield, Minn., studying liberal arts. On Dec. 25, 1941, she married Sanford S. Tyler in Rochester, Minn., and together they raised four daughters, Susan, Sharon, Sandra and Kristen. Sanford’s teaching career took the family from Detroit Lakes, Minn. to Winona in 1946. After his retirement in 1982, they moved to Chester. Sanford preceded her in death on Nov. 29, 2007.

Eleanor owned and operated a tropical fish shop for many years. She loved all of nature and was a lifelong avid gardener. She was the navigator for the favorite family activity of traveling and camping. She was a member of Central Lutheran Church in Winona; Charter member of Hiawatha Valley Bird Club in Winona; and volunteered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, banding birds. 

Eleanor is survived by three daughters, Susan Stumpf, Sandra (John) Hess and Kristen Tyler; five grandchildren, Ted Stumpf, Matt Stumpf, Joseph (Kalene Engel) Kaczorowski, Russell (Kelli) Hess and Heidi (Erik) Hess-Bynum; and two great-grandchildren, Jordan Kaczorowski and Kayla Jo Kaczorowski.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Sanford; daughter, Sharon Kaczorowski; and son-in-law, Marvin Stumpf.

Services were entrusted to Fawcett Junker Funeral Home & Crematory, Winona and Fountain City, Wis. Words of sympathy or remembrance may be left at www.fawcett-junkerfuneralhome.com.