Eleanor E. Noyes

Eleanor Esther Noyes (Elly) passed from this earthly life on February 9, 2013, one day before her 80th birthday, at Hospice of San Joaquin in Stockton, California. Born Eleanor Esther Burgess on February 10, 1933 in Portland Oregon, Elly was the fourth of seven siblings. Her parents were Floyd Burgess and Lillian Weeks. At the age of 16, Elly married David Royal Hood, “Gene,” who was the father of her two children, Steven and Debra. They were later divorced and Elly married Harry Usher Noyes. Harry had three children. They had no children together, but together they adopted a baby named Earl, who had been their foster child from a very young age.

Elly lived in Portland, Oregon until the mid-1960s, attending high school and marrying there. Elly and Gene moved to the Bay Area in Northern California in 1964, and then to Sparks, Nevada late in 1967. While in California, Elly attended beauty school and became a hairdresser. During her time in Nevada, Elly and Gene divorced and she married Harry. They moved to Lake Tahoe, California and then to Sonoma, California, and eventually returned to Portland, where she lived until Harry’s death in 2005. At that point, Elly moved to her daughter’s home in Lynnwood, Washington for about two years, and then to her son’s home in Isleton, California, where she stayed until she was moved to hospice late in January of 2013.

In 1969, Elly reconnected with her religious roots and renewed her commitment to the Christian Faith, which continued to be very important in her life until the end. While in Portland the second time, and in her 60s, Elly attended Portland Community College and completed her high school education, receiving a diploma. This was a great accomplishment. She also took some college-level classes.

Although Elly’s beloved pets Maggie (a miniature poodle) and Abby (a tortie cat) predeceased her, because of her advanced dementia, she did not know. These pets were with her faithfully in her final years and provided her with a wonderful source of unconditional love. It was often feared that their loss would cause her grief, but because of the way it happened, neither the animals nor Elly had to suffer that loss.

Elly is survived by her brothers and sisters, Betty Polinsky, Robert (Bob), Walter (Buddy) and Donald (Babe) Burgess, and Doris (Dorrie) Pringle; her three children: Steven Hood, Debra Taylor and Earl Noyes; along with her grandchildren, Ken, Cindy, David and Jeff Hood, Mehdi Stephens, Stephanie Aleven, and Jennifer and Jarod Taylor; as well as her great-grandchildren, Nicole and April Hood, Emma, Max and Zachary Stephens, Megan and Gage Aleven, and Aaliyah Taylor; 18 nieces and nephews and their progeny, which is a large number that would be difficult to calculate.

Elly was predeceased by her parents, Floyd Burgess and Lillian Weeks Burgess, her brother William (Billy), her two husbands, David Hood and Harry Noyes, and by her granddaughter, Kimberly Hood.

Interment will take place at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery at 5810 Midway Road, Dixon, California on February 22, 2013 at 1:00 PM. Those wishing to attend should arrive at the “Shelter” no later than 12:30 PM, as the service will be very short. Flowers can be sent to the cemetery. Condolences can be sent to the family c/o Debra Taylor, 8800 Sierra College Blvd. #1222, Roseville, CA 95661, or by email at [email protected].

A memorial is tentatively scheduled for March 30th at 11 AM at the Slate Creek Apartments Recreation Room at 8800 Sierra College Blvd. in Roseville, California. You can request details and confirmation of date and time from Debra Taylor using her contact information above. A memorial booklet is being developed, which will be shared at the memorial. Those who wish to have their thoughts included in the booklet should send their entries to Debra Taylor at the email address above.

If you wish to offer a memorial donation in Elly’s name, please consider the Hospice of San Joaquin, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, BRACE or another organization dedicated to hospice care or dementia research.