Eloise Hansbrough

When someone is identified as a natural leader, certain images come to mind. First thoughts are of a no-nonsense, tough-minded, dedicated and disciplined person. She will be remembered as being highly organized, practical and realistic. She was a person who always carried a strong sense of duty with her throughout her life. Possessed with traditional “old school” morals, Eloise was an individual who clearly communicated to those around her just who she was and what she was all about. Everyone acquainted with Eloise knew her as a well-respected woman who was a stable force in her community.

Eloise was born on July 28, 1930 at Grady Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. Her parents were LeRoy Render and Willie Mae Wright. Eloise was raised in Chicago, Illinois. Even as a youngster, Eloise learned to be objective and decisive. Her faith in the principles of authority and dependability was something that she carried with her throughout her life.

As a young girl, Eloise was able to put her natural abilities to work. She was a bit like the sergeant of the family, helping to make sure that the others did what they should do and that they avoided those things they weren’t supposed to. In other words, she liked to organize and direct. Eloise was raised with one sibling. She had an older sister Alice. Eloise had an inborn appreciation for the order in the family, allowing for the oldest members to be the most respected and to take on the most responsibility. For Eloise, this was a natural order of life, one she gladly embraced.

Eloise's matter-of-fact attitude about most things was developed during her childhood. As a young girl, Eloise enjoyed being part of teams, and organizations and groups of other kids who shared similar interests. Eloise took part in rope-jumping. In her spare time she liked to bond with her mother and visiting her aunts.

In school, Eloise was as close to being a model student as one could possibly imagine. She sought to achieve perfect attendance in all of her classes. She would eagerly complete her homework, and often put in extra study time when she felt it was necessary. A logical and focused thinker, Eloise was always good at following directions and meeting her schedules, whether they were set by her teachers or were self-imposed. Eloise’s personal motto could well have been, “Do it right the first time. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was English.

Eloise was sociable and approachable. Because she was always so straightforward in how she approached relationships, friends and family knew that what they saw was always what they got. She enjoyed the camaraderie of being with a group of friends. When Eloise was a member of a group, her interaction worked to keep the others grounded. She wasn’t afraid to confront her friends and, when necessary, she challenged them to stick to the task at hand. Those close to Eloise came to expect her high standards of performance. While growing up, some of her best friend was Alice. Later in life, she became friends with Amos and Ester Wills.

An objective and conscientious individual, Eloise reveled in the security of her family. On April 3, 1972 Eloise exchanged wedding vows with Autry Herman Hansbrough at the Chicago City Hall of Chicago, Illinois. One of Eloise’s most endearing qualities was her uncanny ability to remember important dates and anniversaries, and her unending enthusiasm for organizing a celebration for her family and friends.

Eloise was ever watchful of her children. She worried about them and was deeply concerned for their development as they grew up. She maintained a firm hand in their upbringing. Eloise would give her stamp of approval to their requests, as long as she could see how they might benefit. She also had the ability to enforce the rules as needed to ensure that her children were properly raised. Eloise was blessed with three children, two daughters, Barbara and JoAnn, one son, Amos. They were also blessed with 9 grandchildren, Sandra, Rotunda, John, Erik, Edwina, Eloyse, Kimberly, Amos, and Angie.

Being a hard worker who praised efficiency, Eloise was always striving to make improvements where they were necessary. She was able to analyze situations and problems, keeping everything and everyone on track. An excellent project supervisor, Eloise was a person who could quickly make decisions based on the information available. She worked cooperatively and expected the same from her colleagues. In both her personal and professional environments, Eloise upheld her standards. Her primary occupation was Business Owner. She was employed for owner and operator of Pede's Grocery Store. Eloise was a team player who certainly lived out the motto of “give me a job, and I will get it done.”

Playing by the rules was a natural thing for Eloise to do in life and that carried over to her enjoyment of sports. Recreational sports included walking on her free time. She also was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. A top on her list was basketball.

Being generous with her time and energy, Eloise liked to belong to a variety of groups and organizations. She was a vocal leader who enjoyed being a part of things. Her desire to uphold traditions and her ability to take charge of any type of project made her a tremendous asset. Throughout her later years, Eloise was an active member of the Coppin Social Club.

A civic-minded person, Eloise was usually ready to jump in and help with community activities. She was the type of person who could masterfully organize events and projects and then see to it that they were run in an efficient and timely manner. Eloise was a member of several community groups, including serving on committees for the Supervised Voting Poll staff in her ward for ten years. Politically, Eloise was Democratic. During these years, Eloise applied her analytical intellect to problem solving and so was an asset on most committees.

Faith was important to Eloise. She held high moral standards and was worried about the moral decay she saw around her. For that reason she held deep spiritual beliefs that she was willing to share. She was a member Coppin AME for 20+ years. During that time, she was a choir member, church volunteer, member of Women's Missionary Society.

When it came time to travel or take a vacation, Eloise used her scheduling expertise to make sure everyone and everything was ready to go. That also meant that she made certain no single person was overworked in putting the trip together. Eloise had a knack for making sure that everyone who was involved had their specific tasks and that those tasks were completed. Favorite vacations included RV traveling to California, Nevada, Canada, Caribbean Cruise, RV camping in several states.

Eloise was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. One of Eloise’s favorites was a Terrier. They were best friends for 15 years.

When Eloise’s retirement finally arrived in 2003, she was well prepared. She used her critical evaluation skills to make sure that every detail had been preplanned and attended to. Her new life involved relocating to Las Vegas. In retirement, she found new pleasure in staying active in church. In many ways, Eloise loved retirement. It provided her with the opportunity to catch up with her friends, attend functions and group outings, and tackle new interesting activities.

Eloise passed away on December 29, 2011 at her home in Las Vegas, Nevada. Final stage of Dementia. She is survived by her children JoAnn, Amos, and Barbara; her brother LeRoy Dotson; her grandchildren Erik, Edwina, Eloyse, Angela, Amos, Kimberly, John, Ratunda, and Sandra. Services were held at Palm Mortuary-Cheyenne. Eloise was laid to rest in Lincoln Cemetery in Chicago, Illinois.

All who knew her would agree that Eloise was a pillar of the community. She lived her life with her feet firmly on the ground. She had a strong work ethic, was pragmatic in her thoughts and acts, and constantly sought the means for self-improvement. She was willing to share her ideas and knowledge for the benefit of others, so that they could accomplish more in their lives.

Arrangements under the direction of Palm Cheyenne Mortuary, Las Vegas, NV.