Eleanor Oeder

Eleanor Oeder, 93, Bismarck, died March 17, 2011, at the Baptist Home, Bismarck. Services will be held at 2:00 pm Monday, March 21, at First Presbyterian Church, Bismarck, with Rev. Jake Kincaid officiating. Spring burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Steele. Visitation will be held from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm Sunday, March 20, at Eastgate Funeral Service, Bismarck, where an Eastern Star service will begin at 4:30 pm. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Eleanor was born December 4, 1917, in Steele, ND, the daughter of William and Amanda Splinter McCabe. She grew up on a farm north of Steele, and attended her first eight years of school in Hayes Township and graduated from Steele High School in 1935. She went on to attend Valley City STC to gain her degree in teaching. She began her teaching career at Chasely, ND, and at Sterling, ND, before she married Leon C. Oeder, Goodrich, ND, in June of 1942. He immediately was sent overseas in World War II for 18 months. Eleanor continued teaching at Sterling for one year and then took a job at the State Highway Department Division office until Leon returned from service. She worked at Calvert Oil Drilling Co. for a period of time and at the State Land Dept for five years before she became a partner in business with her husband, owning and operating O & M Electric for thirteen years until his death in 1965. She returned to teaching until 1974 when she became a housemother at NDSU, Fargo; a job she loved dearly and at the time of her death was still receiving Christmas cards and pictures from students, a treasure she was proud of. She retired in 1980, and returned to Bismarck to finish out her life. Eleanor was very active in Eastern Star serving as Worthy Matron, District Deputy Grand Page and Grand Representative. In 1998, she received the honor of a Life Membership and later she was honored as a 50-year member. She was a member of Medcenter One Auxiliary serving as an officer for several years and president from 1987-1989, Chapter AA, Treasurer for eight years, member of American Legion Auxiliary and First Presbyterian Church, joining in 1951. She was a volunteer at Medcenter One Hospital for many years, retiring because of ill health and with regret. She loved sports and participated in many of them. She was treasurer and president of Bismarck-Mandan Women's Bowling Association and inducted into Local Hall of Fame in 1993 and was a life-member of the Dakota Zoo. She made a bundle of friends throughout her lifetime and she loved her nephews and nieces and their families. She had a great sense of humor which she never lost throughout her pain and discomfort. She, like her mother, always enjoyed a good joke or story. She was always thoughtful of others. Eleanor is survived by five nephews, Myron Marlene, Norman, Curtis Betty, Robert Colleen, and Randy Julie McCabe; four nieces, Janice Horace Strang, Bonita Tom Parker, Patricia McCabe and Donna Lee Craig Lewis; and many wonderful great-nieces and great-nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; four brothers, Dale, Warren "Bud", Floyd "Jim", and Donald; one nephew, Dale Mead McCabe and special friend, Ettie Tyson. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to First Presbyterian Church or the donor's choice.

Eleanor Oeder

December 4, 1917 - March 17, 2011