Eleanor Ann Shurtleff

Eleanor passed away at the age of 98 on March 3, 2015 in Dallas, Texas. Eleanor was born on July 31, 1916 in Vassar, Michigan to her parents, Mario Di Trapani and Amelia Zito Di Trapani. She was a resident of Long Beach, CA from 1918 until she moved to Dallas, Texas in 2009. A graduate of St. Anthony High School in 1934, she married Kenneth Lyle Shurtleff of Hebron NE, a career United States Navy officer, in Yuma, Arizona in 1941. They raised their three children in many military bases throughout the country, until he retired in Long Beach. Eleanor was devoted to her faith in God and charity to others as a parishioner of St. Barnabas Catholic Church of Long Beach for over 60 years. She was past President of St. Barnabas’ Parish Council, Ladies Altar Society, member of Children’s Benefit League since 1973, Friends of the Psychiatric Clinic for Youth, the Immaculate Heart of Mary Auxiliary and donated time to care for veterans at the US Naval Hospital in Long Beach CA. She was famously known for organizing the St. Barnabas Annual Fundraiser Spaghetti Dinner for over 40 years. She was devoted to her faith and the Church, and a spirited woman whose passions centered on family, friends and serving her community. Eleanor was preceded into heaven by her husband Kenneth Lyle Shurtleff in 1971, her daughter Dee Ann Shurtleff Kronick and son Kenneth Lyle Shurtleff, Jr. in 2003. She is survived by her son Robert John Shurtleff and his wife Sharon Cunningham Shurtleff of Dallas, TX; her son-in-law John B. Kronick of Palm Desert, CA; her daughter-in-law Karin Shurtleff Anderson and husband Owen Duncan Anderson of Cypress, CA; her grandsons James Keith Kronick, of Lompoc, CA and his wife Rebecca Iribarren Kronick, Craig Lyle Kronick and his wife Jennifer Pickering Kronick of Placentia, CA, and Mark Lyle Shurtleff and his wife Stephanie Kirk Shurtleff of Huntington Beach, CA; her great granddaughters Amanda Kronick Hart and her husband Daniel Hart of Lompoc, CA, Stephanie Kronick of Lompoc, CA, and Samantha Christine Shurtleff of Huntington Beach, CA; and great-great grandson Andrew Martin Hart of Lompoc, CA. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her name can be made to the Children’s Benefit League P.O. Box 8011 Long Beach, CA 90808 or the Huntington’s Disease Society of America 505 Eighth Avenue, Suite 902, New York, NY 10018 or visit www.hdsa.org.