Eleanor I. Peter

Eleanor (Ellie) I. Thornton Peter was born to George W. and Myrtle Bartholomew Thornton on September 16, 1921, in a log house built by her father and uncle on a homestead in the Aeneas Valley of Okanogan County, WA. She was at first home schooled; later she attended a one-room country school, and she eventually graduated from Tonasket High School at age 16. She lived happily in the log home, which had no electricity and no indoor plumbing. As a Depression Era child, her family had no money for her to attend college or anything else, but at age 21, (1942) she moved to Wenatchee, WA, to attend nurses training at the Deaconess Hospital. She earned this by working for three years for the hospital 6½ days per week, 51 weeks of the year, receiving room, board, training, and an occasional $5 spending money. She and her classmates completed training just in time to meet each other’s brothers as they returned from active military service during WWII. She married one of her classmate’s brothers, Joseph B. (Bernie) Peter, and her brother married another one of her classmates. She and Bernie were married for 64 years before he passed away the day after her birthday in 2011. They were married in 1947, setting up home in Entiat in a small apartment in a housing project located near the Columbia River. In 1951 Bernie bought his mother’s orchard in the Entiat Valley, and they lived there until 2011, when they moved to Colonial Vista in Wenatchee. After some severe health episodes in 2012, Ellie moved to facilities of Crista Senior Living of Shoreline, WA, where she lived until she passed away peaceably in her sleep on December 20, 2014. Professionally she was a Registered Nurse and worked for many years each at Parkside Nursing Home and in pediatrics at the Wenatchee Valley Clinic. In Entiat, she was active in community affairs, for example, serving several terms on the Cemetery Board, and she was a 65 year active member of the Entiat Federated Church. But it was how she served is what set her apart. She believed in the value and dignity of all human beings. She was cheerful, positive, caring, uplifting, and encouraging. This flowed out spontaneously from her strong Christian faith. Her positive influence, especially on her family, was profound. Within the family she was the last of her generation, and was preceded in death by her husband, Bernie, her sister Alta Thornton Swenson, her brother, Leslie Thornton, and numerous brothers and sisters-in-law. She is survived by her three sons and three daughters-in-law, Paul (Jeanine) Peter of Covington (Sumner), WA, Lyle (Beate) Peter of Edmonds, WA, and Donald (JoAnn) Peter of Des Moines, WA, nine grandchildren, four grandchildren-in-law, seven great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews and their families. A memorial service will be held on January 31, 2015, at 1:00 PM, at the Entiat Valley Church (formerly Entiat Federated Church) in Entiat WA. Friends who wish may give a donation in her name to the Entiat Valley Church. Please express your thoughts and memories on the online guest book at jonesjonesbetts.com. Arrangements are by Jones & Jones-Betts Funeral Home.

Tributes

Eleanor I. Peter

September 16, 1921 - December 20, 2014