Eleanor Marie Vander Haegen Ph.D.

Eleanor M. Vander Haegen Ph.D, 84, of Keene, NH, a well-known community and faculty member at Keene State College, passed away on April 12, 2025, after battling Parkinson’s disease for several years.

Her parents, Joseph H. and Anna F. (Conroy) Vander Haegen welcomed their daughter on February 3,1941 in Waltham, MA. Eleanor grew up in Watertown, MA where she graduated from St Patrick High School in 1958. In 1962 she graduated from Emmanuel College in Boston, MA where she began to develop her “lifelong passion for social justice on all levels-local, state, national, and international.” Upon earning her BA she furthered her studies at Columbia and Marquette Universities and earned her Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota.

In 1972 Eleanor began teaching at Keene State College where she was a respected Professor of Sociology for over thirty years. In 1989 she was given the Distinguished Teacher Award for her excellence in the classroom and for her positive influence on and mentoring of students. In 1990 she was named an American Council on Education Fellow and later served as interim Dean of Sciences at KSC. She was appointed as a Mellon Scholar at Wellesley Center for Research on Women where she contributed to works on women and gender studies. Later, Eleanor led groups of Keene students to Nicaragua to study the impacts of revolution and social change on urban and rural culture. After her retirement, Eleanor served on the KSC Centennial Commission which celebrated the college’s founding in 1909.

From her early college years Eleanor was an activist and champion of human rights, which was reflected in her involvement in many organizations and causes, most recently in the NH Poor People's Campaign and Moral Movement.

As an active member of St James Episcopal Church in Keene, Eleanor facilitated Education for Ministries courses for many years and participated in local and state initiatives that advocated for social justice, anti-poverty, and gender equality issues.

A passionate advocate for women’s education, Eleanor was an active member of Philanthropic Educational Opportunities (PEO), an organization dedicated to helping women achieve their educational goals. She was also a committed member of the Southwest Regional Planning Commission Board, the Fitzwilliam Conservation Commission, and the Fitzwilliam Garden Club. Eleanor was also formerly on the Board of Directors for Living Networks, Inc. and for Hospice of Cheshire County.

Eleanor was also a longtime volunteer and supporter of the Hundred Nights Shelter. She was especially proud of their efforts to raise funds for a new facility, and enthusiastically dedicated time and energy to their mission.

Eleanor was a lifelong lover of books, seldom without one in hand, and her passion for reading was only rivaled by her love of nature. She found peace and inspiration in the outdoors, enjoying activities such as hiking, birding, and kayaking. Eleanor also had a deep appreciation for the arts, frequently visiting the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and attending classical music and operatic performances. She especially enjoyed the MET simulcasts at the Colonial Theatre, where she could experience the magic of opera right in Keene.

Her curiosity and desire to learn were boundless, and she and her partner, Susan, spent much of her life traveling both domestically and internationally, immersed in different cultures, artistry, and stories of the people she encountered from Alaska to South America and to Asia.

Eleanor will be remembered for her strong spirit, intellectual curiosity, and her unwavering commitment to social justice and making the world a better place. Her loss to the community will be felt by many. Eleanor will be greatly missed by her sister, Marie Pierce and brother-in-law Robert Pierce of West Newbury, MA.

Eleanor was also the much loved “AUNTIE!” of four nieces who were both showered by and inspired by her generous and curious nature. They include Abigail Hannan, Emily Pierce, Joanna Kearney M.D., and Rebecca Peerless. She also leaves three grandnephews, Niall, Calvin, and Arlo. Her beloved spouse of twenty-four years, Susan M. Sielke, predeceased her in September of 2020. She was also predeceased by a sister, Rita L. Vander Haegen in 1965.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the College Camp on Wilson Pond in Swanzey on Sunday, June 29, 2025, from 12:00 to 2:00pm. All are invited.

Donations in Eleanor's memory may be made to the Philanthropic Education Opportunities Foundation (PEO), Chapter H, c/o Anne Bradley, 548 Old Greenfield Rd., Peterborough, NH 03458 or Hundred Nights, Inc, PO Box 833, Keene, NH 03431.