Eleanor Donley

1918 - 2016

DONLEY

ELEANOR Longtime resident of South Lyon, Michigan, died April 9, 2016 at the University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor. She was 98 years old. Eleanor was born on the family farm in Galien, Michigan on February 19, 1918, the daughter of Bernice B. (Ferguson) and Guy Hathaway Smith. A graduate of Berrien County Normal College, Eleanor taught in a one room school prior to her marriage to Lee 0. Donley on May 17, 1941. The couple moved to South Lyon in 1947 after Lee had become a teacher and coach in the South Lyon schools. Lee and Eleanor were married until his death in 1993. The mother of five daughters, Eleanor spent many years working at home prior to returning to the paid work force. She was the first teacher at South Lyon's Cooperative Nursery School. Later, she was the Title VII teacher at Bartlett Elementary in South Lyon. Through her teaching, Eleanor influenced many lives. She was loved by her students, their parents, and her colleagues. Eleanor was active in the South Lyon community. Among other things, she was a room mother, Girl Scout leader, and volunteer for the March of Dimes and for Oakland County's Well Baby Clinic. For years, Eleanor looked in on, telephoned, and chauffeured elderly and disabled South Lyon residents simply to be helpful. Eleanor was a member of the Tuesday Club, a ladies' literary society, for over fifty years. She was a founding member of the South Lyon Historical Society, played an integral role in having the Witch's Hat building deeded to the City, was a docent at The Witch's Hat Museum, and planted the flowers around it year after year. Eleanor served on the city's Historical Commission. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of South Lyon for nearly seventy years. During that time, Eleanor was a Sunday and Bible School teacher, member and officer of her Circle and of the Women's Association, and served several terms as an elected Church Elder. In 1990, Eleanor was honored by the South Lyon Chamber of Commerce as South Lyon's Volunteer of the Year. Eleanor loved to read, garden and be with people. She accepted people as they were. When you talked with Eleanor, you were listened to and felt yourself the only person in the world. She enjoyed music of all kinds, but especially folk music, which she was into long before the 1960s counter-culture cottoned to it. Eleanor taught herself to play the autoharp so she could play and sing along with people like Pete Seeger and Burl Ives. She enjoyed watching and participating in sports. At forty-five, Eleanor taught her daughter Diane's friends how to turn cartwheels, teaching by example in the middle of her living room. In her eighties, Eleanor took a weight lifting class. She was always ready for fun, and preferred taking a bunch of children to Kensington Park to play over cleaning the house. Eleanor had a great sense of humor, a quick mind, and a ready smile. Throughout her life, she had friends of all ages. She was a prize-winning baker, and simply a lovely person. Eleanor is survived by her daughters, Dr. Diane (Dr. Bradley Evans) of Traverse City, Barbara and Denise of South Lyon, Mary (William Sisson) of Houston, Texas, Lisa (David Green) of Traverse City, and her Youth for Understanding daughter, Carmen (Miguel Arnabal) of New York City; her grandchildren, Lillian Evans (Jason Carnevale) of Brooklyn, New York, Robert Evans in Cameroon with the Peace Corps, and Kristina Green of Boston, Massachusetts; many nieces, nephews, and friends. She will be sorely missed. There will be visitation with Eleanor's family on Thursday, May 26, 2016 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Phillips Funeral Home in South Lyon. A celebration of Eleanor's life will take place at First Presbyterian Church of South Lyon on Friday, May 27, 2016 at noon, with visitation one hour before the service. A luncheon will immediately follow. It was Eleanor's hope that she have "a really big funeral, with just lots and lots of people there." Her family will be most grateful if you help to make her wish come true. Please bring a memory of Eleanor to share. Memorial contributions may be made to South Lyon Area Youth Assistance, Reading is Fundamental, or to the charity of your choice.