Eleanor Eloise Landry Carver

- Erma Bombeck

This quote seemed a fitting way to begin this remembrance to honor the life of our mother, Eleanor Carver. She was born Eleanor Eloise Cowan on 11/1/34, at home, in Danforth, Maine. She died at age 86, on 8/9/21, at home, in Portland, holding the hands of her two daughters, as she wished.

She was predeceased by her husband, Ralph Carver, and her only son, Bradley Jellison. She is survived by her daughters Pam Leo and Kathie Brown, her son-in-law Chris Brown, her grandchildren, Leah Deragon and husband, Steve Nelson, Casey Brown and wife, Tara Brown, Sage Griffin, Miranda Cassidy and husband, Mike Cassidy, her great-grandchildren, Kjeld Nelson, Greta Deragon, Teagan Brown, Clover Brown, Magnolia Wright, Lily Flood, Fox Sutherland, Aislyn Cassidy, her great-great grandson, David Stacy, and her much loved friends and caregivers who became like family to her in her final months.

Eleanor sang with the Sweet Adelines and she was a member of the Eastern Star and of the Stevens Avenue Congregational Church. Eleanor worked at Portland Appliance for 40 years in both customer service and as a technician. She loved to walk and often walked miles to and from work. “Ma” to us, “Mammie” to all the grands, the great-grands, and great-great grandson, was our family role model of being a life long learner. She never let not knowing how to do something prevent her from learning how. As an adult she took classes to learn to knit and to sew. After she retired, she volunteered in the dining room of her residence, Deering Pavilion.

Eleanor became an avid reader in her later years and for the last five years she has been an elder volunteer for her daughter’s nonprofit, the Book Fairy Pantry Project, whose mission is: No Child With No Books. When she could no longer see well enough to read, family, friends, and caregivers read aloud to her by phone and in person. It is our hope to honor her memory by establishing a grassroots Book Fairy sister project called, “Book Angel Readers”, to provide volunteers who will read to elders by phone, and/or to residents in nursing homes.

Friends and family will be notified of her “honoring gathering” to be held at a future date when it is more socially safe to gather. Those wishing to honor her memory may make a donation, in her name, to support the work of the nonprofit: BookFairyPantryProject.org