Dr. B. Eleanor Anstey
ANSTEY, MCGREW, FOLAND, STANLEY, PORTER, DUNN
Posted By: Sarah Fletcher (email)
Date: 11/21/2023 at 09:34:19
Dr. B. Eleanor Anstey born on June 9, 1926. She died on October 25, 2023.
It is the only directive she gave us that simply cannot be honored because between those two short simple lines was a life so filled with love, compassion, adventure, determination, & above all faith. Faith in God & faith in the goodness & potential of others. In addition to the large family into which she was born, throughout her life she acquired a vast & all-inclusive family of choice, whether through her work with the Sisters of Humility, as a teacher, as a mentor, as a confidant (& sometimes a co-conspirator), as a member & leader in her parish, as a vocalist, as a lover of music & the arts, as a world traveler, as an author, as a lifelong learner, as a book club member, as a U of I Associate Professor Emerita in the School of Social Work, as an avid Iowa Hawkeyes fan, & especially as an advocate for women & the environment. She taught in & also outside of the classroom by example, the value of love, acceptance & understanding of persons of all religions, classes, & origins looking beyond the outer patina of their differences & inside at the person within with acknowledgment, acceptance, compassion, & love. While we, as her family, were all so proud & a bit in awe of her for all that she achieved from master’s degrees to her doctorate, she was so much more than dates of attendance, & accomplishment of degrees. She was the hub of the wheel that supported & connected not only the spokes of her family, but also her friends together. Effortlessly & tirelessly helping them overcome some of life’s obstacles & smoothing the way by supporting each one as they conquered new challenges & moved on to bigger & better things. Two lines are simply not enough to contain the bright, bold, caring light that she shared with those around her in an often dark & selfish world.
In addition to special friends & caregivers too numerous to list without fear of leaving even one out, she is survived by her sister, Sr. Miriam Anstey of Davenport, Iowa & numerous nieces, nephews, and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents, Archibald William (Archie) and Annis Faye (McGrew) Anstey (Faye); by brothers William Hugh Anstey (Hugh) & wife, Berniece (Bea); & Charles Richard Anstey (Dick) & wife, Alice Mary; by sisters Adrian Helen Foland & husband, Paul; Amy Lucille Stanley (Lucy); Alice Faye Porter & husband, Harry; & Mary Elizabeth Dunn (Betty) & husband, James (Jimmy); 7 nephews & 5 nieces, & other dear souls known to our hearts.
To honor Eleanor’s life, service arrangements in Coralville and Cumberland are as follows:
A Rosary will be on Friday, November 10, 2023 at 5 PM at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 3000 12th Avenue, Coralville, followed by a Celebration of Life. Casual dress or your favorite Iowa Hawkeye gear is encouraged. Mass will be Saturday, November 11, 2023 at 11:00 am at the church with a light lunch to follow.
A Rosary will be on Sunday, November 12, 2023 at 5 PM at St. Timothy's Catholic Church (Reno), 69486 Wichata Road, Cumberland, Iowa, followed by coffee, conversation and commiseration in the parish hall. Mass will be Monday, November 13, 2023 at 10:00 am at the church followed by Final Inturnment and lunch in the parish hall.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation to a charity of your choice or simply say a prayer for the Iowa Hawkeyes offense on her behalf.
Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
Johnson Obituaries maintained by Cindy Booth Maher.
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