Knowing Eleanora Carter, who passed on 4/14/26, included appreciating her candor and willingness to tell you how she wanted things. Despite three years of effort, we couldn't get her to write her obituary, "I'm not writing the d### thing, that'll be your problem. Nobody's going to come".

With that in mind, this is written utilizing a fair number of her quotes. So here goes:

She was born to John and Ruby Tuckwiller on January 1st, 1933 in a two bedroom farmhouse "that's now been plowed under and turned into a cornfield". She was a child of the depression. She was remarkably thrifty. "Once you grow up poor, you never forget". Virtually every conversation with her included an examination of how expensive something might be "gas, ice cream, insurance, or an oil change", and when asked how much she thought those things should be, her frequent answer was "free".

She had five siblings. "All of us worked our tails off on the farm for a lot of years, and mom could always find someone a job". She attended school in a one-room schoolhouse through the eighth grade "now that's an education", and started high school in Marshall, Missouri. "I had never been to school in a two-story school house, and I was so dumb that I didn't know that classrooms with the number two were on the second floor". Her family moved quite often during her high school years "like a bunch of gypsies", but she eventually graduated from Knob Noster High School. She went to secretarial school in Warrensburg, while at the same time working at the Star Theater on Pine Street. While working at the theater, she saw a "handsome man", Kenneth Carter, on the sidewalk in front of Vernaz Drug, and "I knew he owned a car, so I asked him for a date".

She and Kenneth were married on October 16,1954 in Marshall, Missouri. They had two boys,14 months apart. "None of my kids ever cried, and two of them were never in diapers at the same time". She and Kenneth had a third son born in 1960. "I was one of the first women in Warrensburg to be on the pill, and without it, we'd have had a whole bunch of kids".

She worked outside the house most of her adult life, and "in the house" all her adult life."You never know when the President might be coming". She held various positions at Vernaz Drug, owned and operated her own gift store "that was a trip", and was the secretary at a kindergarten for years, "I had an angel for a boss". She was elected to multiple terms on the R6 school board, belonged to the Legion Auxiliary for decades, was a member of the Pioneer Garden Club, "I love playing in the dirt", and the 21 Investment Club, "Man, those are some sharp gals". She was a member of PEO, and belonged to and subbed for multiple bridge groups "I don't know what I'm doing, but most of the time I'm not last".

She was an eight decade member of the United Methodist Church, and greatly enjoyed Sunday School and church service. She particularly enjoyed her friends "on the widow's bench. We go to lunch and talk about everything". Her last words, to her grandchildren and great grandchildren, summed up her faith: "Know God, be good to one another, and go to church". She certainly lived this faith.

Her husband, Kenneth, predeceased her in 2013. She was also predeceased by her brother J.C. Tuckwiller and sister Alice Meyer. She is survived by her sons, Greg (Ellen), Gary (Deb), and Glen (Janet), seven grandchildren - - Logan (Becky), Lauren, Luke (Misty), Grant (Ashley), Grace (Travis), Brittany, (Chace), Brooke and 10 great grandchildren. "They're all the best." She is also survived by her sisters, Sue and Gert, her brother Charles and her sisters-in-law, Jackie and Carol.

Her Memorial Service will be held Monday, April 20th at 12pm at the United Methodist Church in Warrensburg. A private inurnment will occur prior to the service.

In keeping with Ellie's paramount thought that no one should ever be hungry at any time, lunch will be served to all attendees following the noon service.

At Granny's request, contributions should be made to the United Methodist Church of Warrensburg. "We've got a great preacher".