Eleanor Venita Buchanan

ELEANOR BUCHANAN

CRESCO, IOWA — Eleanor Venita (Kitchen) Buchanan, 97, passed away at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 12, 2014, at Cresco Care Center in Cresco, Iowa. She was born Feb. 14, 1917, in Lime Springs, Iowa, and was the daughter of the late Elmer and Edna Kitchen. She married Arthur (Jack) Buchanan on Nov. 1, 1938, and he preceded her in death on Nov. 12, 1958.

She attended Lime Springs schools and graduated from Mankato College, Mankato, Minn. She and Jack moved to Southern Illinois in 1939 where she began her career as a receptionist/secretary/girl Friday of Wood River Printing, which at the time printed the Wood River Journal. She was an active proponent of the equal rights movement. In 1976, she was named Woman of the Year by the Ladies Auxiliary of VFW Post 2859. She was active with the Red Cross, Salvation Army, cancer, heart, polio and United Way Funds. She was involved with the Roxana Woman's Club, Alton Public Relations and Advertising Club, Wood River Township Auxiliary and the Order of Eastern Star, Chapter 871 at Wood River. She was a past-president of the Alton Business and Professional Woman's Club. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Roxana and served as elder.

She retired in November 1982, and returned to Lime Springs to care for a brother. She became active in the United Methodist Church, Oneota Federation Woman's Club, and the Howard County Hospital Foundation. She served as a first responder for the Howard County Hospital and drove the ambulance until she was 75. She traveled to all but two of the 50 states and made four trips abroad.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two brothers, Harry and Herbert; a stepson, William; and two grandsons, Kent Arthur Buchanan and Michael Scott Kidd.

Survivors include a son, Robert (Nancy) Buchanan of East Alton; a stepson, Roger Buchanan of Dacona, Colo.; a daughter, Bonnie (Buchanan) Browder of Edmond, Okla.; stepdaughter, Jacki (Buchanan) Berger of Salem, S.C.; grandson, Kraig Kidd of Fallbrook, Calif., granddaughters, Tracy (Duane) Rosecrans, Edmond, Okla., Kimberly (Rick) Reitbrock, Cedarburg, Wis.; seven great-grandchildren, Josh and Cody Rosecrans, Katelyn Furlow, Trenton, Carson and Isley Reitbrock, and Alexandra Kidd; one great-great-grandson, Jordan Michael Gallop. She was affectionately known as "Granny" to her loving grandchildren and never missed an opportunity to brag on them, they were the pride of her life.

In accordance with her wishes, cremation rites will be accorded and a private burial will be at a later date at Rose Lawn Memory Gardens, Bethalto.