Eleanor Catherine Schell was born in Strasburg, North Dakota on June 12, 1924 to John and Katherine Rohrich. Her farming family resided in Ridgeview, S.D. and Thief River Falls Minnesota before returning to Linton, N.D. in 1941.  Eleanor returned to Minnesota and worked at the  M & D Café.  For fun she loved attending local town and wedding dances.  Jack and Eleanor married in 1945 and lived in Minnesota and Linton, N.D. before the family moved to California in 1955.  Eleanor stated that one of the best times in her life was when she was driving with her brother Leo to come to California.  Jack and Eleanor bought a home in San Pablo on Randy Lane in 1956 where many memories were made for sixty plus years.

  In addition to being a homemaker Eleanor worked at local diners as well as The Elks Lodge and the Richmond Country Club. She was always busy sewing, canning, needlepointing, embroidering, crocheting, and gardening.  Eleanor especially appreciated the wonders of nature on outings and road trips.  Visiting the Sierras in all seasons,  panning for gold in the river, body surfing in the ocean, digging for sea glass on beaches and walking coastlines were her all-time favorites.  She often reminisced about trips to Lake Berryessa and walks at the Contra Costa College track with her dear friend Violet Ingram.  Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren have fond memories of walking in the rain, picking oranges and apples, digging in the dirt, baking and eating homemade cinnamon rolls, cookies, pies, and Christmas candy, learning to needlepoint, playing cards, building tents in her sewing room and eating the best cream of rice and apple pie.

They thank her for “The best gift of all - Life and You.”

  Eleanor is survived by her youngest brother Henry, her husband Jack of 72 years, children Shirley, Carlotta, Charlotte, Alan and Steven, grandchildren Mark, Jeremy, Nichole, Mitchell and Jacob, great-grandchildren Matthew, Mariah, Maxwell, Mason, Mitchell Jr., Anthony, Donovan and Dylan, daughters-in-law Michelle and Connie, granddaughters-in-law Jennifer, Simone and Conde.  She was predeceased by her parents John and Katherine Rohrich, siblings Joseph, Johnny, Bernadine, Hermina, Marie, Edward, Florine, Leo, Jackie, Diane and grandson Edward Michael Moreno.

Family and friends are invited to a celebration of life at the Free Will Baptist Church 1700 Lincoln Avenue Richmond, Ca 94804 on Saturday October 21, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. followed by a luncheon in the church hall.

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