Eleanore Dorothy Brantley

The amazing life of Eleanore Dorothy Brantley began 11-10-25 in Giddings, TX as the 8th child to immigrants Carl Neumann and Ida Wuthrich Neumann. Her father was a Lutheran minister who held services in German and she spoke fluent German as a child and was bilingual throughout her life. Her father passed when she was 3 months old. Her disabled mother raised 8 children on a minister’s pension as a single mom. Although Eleanore had wordly acclaim the bulk of her rewards were heavenly in nature. There were thousands of souls that were brought to the Lord due to her extraordinary light of love and witnessing of her incredible faith.

She was Valedictorian of her class at Univ of Texas where she became an RN and practiced nursing until she married Chester “Chet “ Brantley, Jr in 1948. They moved to Baytown and opened Chet’s Music Shop on Texas Ave in 1957. She managed the store until they sold the business when they retired.

She received the honor of Lutheran Christian Woman of the Year from Concordia University in 1997. She served as secretary, vice president and president of the Gideon’s Women’s auxiliary for many years and spoke at Gideon’s conventions. She was active at Redeemer Lutheran Church for fifty years where she served with the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League. She and others from the church sponsored a Vietnamese doctor and his family and helped him with American schooling. He has since practiced in Texas as have two of his children who also became doctors. She was a tutor for an adult literacy program ESL through the library. She served as a representative for the Kennedy witnessing program for newcomers in the community. She and Chet were involved in the Galveston Bay US Power Squadron for many years where he served as Admiral.

She poured out genuine Christian love for everyone and continuous witnessing of her faith in both word and deed. She was a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Baytown for 50 years, and a member of Grace Lutheran in Smithville after she moved to Bastrop in assisted living. We celebrate her return to the loving arms of her beloved Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

She was preceded in death by Chester S Brantley, Jr "Chet"; her parents and seven siblings.

She is survived by her children, Philip and his wife Donna, Kathryn, and Walter and his wife Cindy. Also seven grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren and 3 great great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Gideons International and the Lutheran Church.

The family will receive friends on Monday, December 17, 2017 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at Earthman Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, December 18, 20017 at 10:00 am at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1200 E Lobit Ave, Baytown, TX 77520. Interment will follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Baytown, TX.