Eleanor Jane Rhoades
July 1, 1922-Dec. 27, 2019
Palo Alto, California

Eleanor Jane Rhoades, nee Marcy, passed away peacefully after a short illness, with family by her side. She was born and raised in the rural Sand Hills of Nebraska, where she lived a happy childhood surrounded by loving and supportive parents and siblings.

Eleanor moved to Palo Alto California in 1942, ostensibly as a transfer to Stanford University, but at least in part to escape the prairie winters. When housing was not available for the Fall term, she decided that a college degree was not that important to her and found work at the Moffett Field Naval Air Station. She met her future husband, a fellow Nebraska expatriate, across the dinner table of a boarding house in Palo Alto in December 1943. They quickly became inseparable companions until he shipped out for the war in Europe. She wrote a letter to him every day while he was gone.

They married in October 1946 soon after he returned. After building their first house in Barron Park, they moved to a house nearby in 1955, where they raised their 2 sons, and where Eleanor lived until she passed away. Along the way, the family lived in Scotland for 2 years in the mid-60’s while Russell was there on company business. There they developed a life-long love of traveling to other countries to experience new sights, cultures, and people.

Eleanor spent 50 years together with Russell as wife, mother, homemaker, and family accountant. They were full and equal partners in everything that they did. They were the love of each other’s life and best friends. She created a new life for herself after he died, spending time with friends and grandchildren, going to Curves and Tai Chi, and continuing to travel the world. Many of her happiest moments were spent on the deck of a boat, whether open ocean or winding river, fair weather or foul. She was proud of the fact that she had visited over 40 countries and been on every continent, including Antarctica.

Eleanor is survived by her 2 sons David and Jeffrey, her loving daughters-in-law Barbara and Debbie, her 5 grandchildren Ian, Natalie, Alex, Deanna, and Ryan, and her dearest friend and neighbor Louie Olave. She is predeceased by her husband and her 2 brothers and 2 sisters. Her ashes will be scattered on the ocean that she loved, to join those of her husband.

Everyone who knew her was impressed by her kindness, her graciousness, her modesty, and her wit. She will live on in our memories, and on the water everywhere.