Obituary of Eleanor J. Padrnos

                Eleanor was born July 4, 1928 on a farm near Lake Andes, SD to Edward and Mary (Dvorak) Vesely and grew up in Lake Andes, SD. She attended grade school in a one room schoolhouse near the farm and ended up teaching the students there (grades 1-6) while in high school for a long stint because their teacher was ill. She graduated from Lake Andes High School in 1946. She attended Southern Teacher's College in Springfield, SD, and transferred to Yankton College, receiving her state teaching certificate in 1948.  She took her first official teaching job at Pickstown, SD, and was proud to have taught "little Tommy Brokaw" in the fourth grade her first year there.  She married George Edward Padrnos August 22, 1949 in Lake Andes, SD.    They lived in Lake Andes a few years and later in Corsica and Bonesteel, returning to Lake Andes in 1955 to run the Dairy Queen as a side business.  They moved to Yankton in 1960 and Eleanor eventually returned to Yankton College and graduated with a 4 year teaching degree in 1971.  She returned to teaching and taught the 3rd grade at Webster School for 11 years before retiring. 

Eleanor is best known for her gentle spirit and patience.  Her six children and husband would say that she had the patience of Job.  She loved the sciences and always wanted to be a nurse, however back when she went to school she only had two choices, secretary or teacher.   As a result she always encouraged her children to do home science projects like dissecting pheasants.  She sold Worldbook and Childcraft part-time and was famous for saying "let's look that up in the Worldbook". She was an incredible mother to 4 (rambunctious) boys and 2 (angelic) daughters.  She used to say that when the boys were little she would collapse at the top of the stairs at the end of the day when the boys were in bed and thank God she kept them alive another day.  Eleanor loved her husband and family, teaching, playing Bridge, putting puzzles together, collecting crocks, antiques (and junk) from garage sales, tomato beer, flower and vegetable gardening, cooking with caraway seed and oatmeal, canning spaghetti sauce and apple jelly, painting landscape oil pictures, and reading to her children and grandchildren.

Eleanor is survived by one brother, Harlan (Mary Dawn) Vesely, Seattle, Washington; four sons: Dave (Paula) Yuma, AZ., and grandchildren Jessica (Tommy Duggan), Leslie (Robby Bennett), Ellen (Jarod Smith); George (Kelly) Yankton, SD, and grandchildren Chris, Shay, Lexy (Jeremy Platenberg); Pat (Chevon) Flagstaff, AZ., and grandchildren Sarah (Donny Hulen), Jamie (Josh Serna); Mark (Carsi) Mt. Vernon, WA., and grandchildren Jira, Max; two daughters: Paula (Dan Hicks) Yankton, SD, and grandchildren Caitlin, Sarah, Holly; Jill (Tom Leisure) Clear Lake, IA., and grandchildren Ryan, Mallory, Madison; and six great grandchildren: Clara, Jack,  and Max Duggan; Rylee and Trynlee Plantenberg; and Brooklyn Hulen; In-laws: Diane Padrnos, Don Petersen, and Dick and Dona Padrnos.

Eleanor is preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, George; her parents Edward and Mary (Dvorak) Vesely, and one brother and sister-in-law, Richard (Donna) Vesely; In-laws: Max and Betty Becker, Elaine Petersen, Dennis Padrnos, and Pat and Ivan Borgen.