Eleanor Frances Mentink, 84 of Le Mars, Iowa, passed away on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018, at the Good Samaritan Society of Le Mars.
Eleanor was born to William and Harriette Hersom on July 2, 1933, in Rochester, N.H. She was baptized on Oct. 14, 1946, at First Baptist Church in East Rochester, N.H. She was confirmed in a Lutheran Church in Cambridge, Mass. in May of 1954. She was a member of Grace Lutheran Church, LCMS, in Le Mars, Iowa.
Eleanor attended a two-room elementary school in West Lebanon, Maine, and graduated from Spaulding High School in Rochester, N.H. in 1951. She continued her education at Household Nursing Association in Boston, where she received her LPN nursing degree in 1953. In order to pay for her professional education, she sold the oxen she had raised as pets, which she personally had trained and used to farm the family land.
On July 11, 1954, Eleanor was united in marriage to Lee Robert Mentink on her father’s farm in East Lebanon, Maine. Their union was blessed with four children, Michael, Rachel, Rebecca, and Mark.
During their marriage, Eleanor and Lee lived and worked in a variety of places: Newport, R.I., while Lee was in the U. S. Navy; Racine; Decorah, Iowa, where Lee attended Luther College; and St. Paul, Minn. where Lee attended Luther Seminary. After Lee’s graduation and ordination, Eleanor, Lee, and their family lived in Luverne and Fredonia, N.D.; Aurora, Andover, Luana, Remsen, Early, Galva (following Lee’s retirement), and finally Le Mars, Iowa. Eleanor worked as a nurse in hospitals, in a private home, and in nursing homes throughout her lifetime.
Eleanor loved sewing, creating her own patterns, mending, embroidering, reading, cooking, and visiting. As a nurse, she was very dedicated to providing the best possible care to her patients. She especially enjoyed visiting with her family, friends, and the residents of Good Samaritan Society of Le Mars.
Eleanor will be deeply missed by her husband, Lee of Le Mars, Iowa; son, Michael (Cathy) of Franksville; two daughters, Rachel of Schleswig, Iowa, and Rebecca (Martin) Letsche of Remsen, Iowa; two foster daughters, Lavonne Feather of Warwick, N.D. and Donna (Dennis) Stephen of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; fourteen grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, Erik Perman, Sara Mentink and daughters Mikala and Alexa, Daniel (Jacquie) Letsche and daughter Willa, Pastor Jason (Lindsay) Letsche and children Liam and Audrianna, Emily (Matthew) Bork and daughters Allison and Cheyenne, Christopher Stephen, Shiloh Stephen, Autumn Stephen, Elijah Feather, Dustin Feather, Brandon Feather, Dylon Feather, LaDawna Feather, and Virgil Feather, Jr.; three siblings, Muriel Hersom of California, William Forrest (Barbara) Hersom of New Hampshire, and Carl (Dot) Hersom of Maine; several nieces, nephews, other relatives, and many friends.
Eleanor was preceded in death by her parents and son Mark.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to LCMS World Mission through Mission Central (c/o Gary Thies, 40718 Hwy E16, Mapleton, IA 51034).
Memorial Services were held Monday, Feb. 19, 2018, at the Rexwinkel Funeral Home of Le Mars. Burial will be at Paris Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery in Paris, Wis., at a later date.
Well-wishers may visit www.rexwinkelfh.com.
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