She met her future husband, Edwin Smith, 6 months after WWII ended when his ship was sent to Boston for decommissioning. The day they met was St. Patrick’s Day, 1946. They married 6 months later and were together over 73 years.
While her husband was in the Navy she worked at U.S. Steel in Waukegan, Illinois and at the Naval facility in Corpus Christi, Texas. After her husband transferred from the Navy to the U.S Air Force and was stationed at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, she worked at Howard Johnsons restaurants including Cocoa Beach where she met and became friends of the original Mercury astronauts. When she retired she and Edwin traveled all over the U.S and also Europe.
Eleanor, who went by the name Petty - a nickname given to her by her father - was an avid knitter who first learned the skill from a US Steel co-worker at the age of twenty. She made afghans, sweaters, baby clothes and so much more for her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She taught more than a few of them the art and joy of knitting. She also enjoyed crossword and jigsaw puzzles and playing Canasta and Chinese Checkers with her children and grandchildren. As an Air Force wife she loved decorating and made each military assignment feel like home for her family. After retirement she enjoyed reading the morning paper and spending time gardening in her yard.
Eleanor is survived by her husband Edwin, her 3 children, Patsy Ross (Dave) of Cocoa, FL, Paul Smith (Anita) of Winston-Salem, NC and Diane McGee (Dan) of Clara City, MN, 11 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren and her brother, William Meyers of Germantown, MD.
She is buried at Florida Memorial Gardens, Rockledge, FL. This gentle, loving, sweet soul is now with the Lord. She was dearly loved and will be missed by all.
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