Eleanor Lester, age 97, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015. She was born on June 4, 1917 in Frazee, Minn., the daughter of Theodore and Anna (Mueller) Zitzow. Eleanor was the eldest of five children. She graduated from Winona State College in Winona, Minn., where she met and then married Dick Lester on June 21, 1939, in Winona. For over 27 years, Eleanor taught elementary education in two Lutheran schools in Madison; Eastside Lutheran and Madison Lutheran School. For all of her life in Madison, Eleanor was an active member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church. Her faith and her family were very important to her. Eleanor's husband, Dick passed away in 1990. Eleanor is survived by her daughter, Sharon (Roger) Hron of Reedsburg; two grandsons, Todd Sailor of Fitchburg and Kurt Sailor of Paris, France; her sister, Elaine Unrue of New Smyrna Beach, Fla.; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Arlene Barnes; and brothers, Harold Zitzow and Clarence Zitzow. A funeral service will be held at HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH, 2670 Milwaukee Street, Madison, at 11 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 9, 2015, with the Rev. Mark Bartels presiding. A visitation will be held at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of the service on Monday. Memorials may be made to the Holy Cross Lutheran Church.

Obituary from Gunderson Funeral Home

added May 1, 2017