Eleanor Ossenfort

ELEANOR MAE OSSENFORT was born on February 6, 1940 to Richard and Engeline (Meyer) Harberts in George, Iowa. Raised in Sibley, Iowa, she graduated from Sibley High School in 1958. In 1959 Eleanor completed the licensed practical nursing (LPN) program at St. Joseph School of Nursing in Mankato, Minnesota. On November 11, 1960, Eleanor was united in marriage to Lloyd Ossenfort at the First Presbyterian Church in Sibley. Following the couple’s marriage, they made their home in Sibley. During this time, Eleanor worked as a LPN for Osceola Community Hospital. In 1963, they moved to a farm near Adrian, Minnesota. Eleanor continued to work as an LPN at the Luverne Community Hospital and the Parkview Manor nursing home in Ellsworth, Minnesota. After Lloyd suffered a brain stem injury in 1971 in a car accident, she became her daughters’ sole caregiver. In 1972, she and her family moved to Ellsworth, until 1978 when they moved to Luverne. Eleanor sold Home Interiors from 1973 until 1986. From 1978 until 1992 she and her family spent summers at their lake home near Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Lloyd passed away on June 24, 1992. Eleanor continued to reside in Luverne and in 1993, began wintering in south Texas. In 1999, she moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and in 2008, to Weslaco, Texas. As a result of her health, in 2014 Eleanor moved to Fort Collins, Colorado to be nearer to her oldest daughter and family. On Wednesday, June 7, 2017 Eleanor died peacefully with her two daughters by her side at Lemay Avenue Health and Rehab in Fort Collins at the age of 77 years, four months and one day.

During her life, Eleanor was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in both Sibley and Luverne, where she served as a Sunday school teacher and belonged to the Presbyterian Women. She enjoyed baking, sewing, traveling, relaxing at the lake and spending time with her daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She will be remembered for her strength and sense of humor.

Eleanor is lovingly remembered by her two daughters, Nadine (Jerry) Beck of Fort Collins, and Nancy (Chris) Booth of Shawnee, Kansas; five grandchildren, Matthew (Jennifer) Beck, Rachel (Devin) Van Maanen, Jackson Booth, Nicholas Booth and Alison Booth; three great-grandchildren, Landen Beck, Alexis Beck and Aubrey Van Maanen; and sister, Roberta (Larry) Nattress of Summerset, South Dakota; and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lloyd; parents, Richard and Engeline; and special friend, Leroy Stoesz.