Eleanor Bogenschutz, age 81, of Walters, died Sunday, Aug. 24, 2003, at Mapleton Community Home in Mapleton from congestive heart failure.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 29, at United Lutheran Church in Walters. The Rev. Donald Rose will officiate. Visitation will be Thursday, Aug. 28, at Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home in Wells from 5-8 p.m., and one hour prior to services at the church on Friday. Interment will be in the Walters Cemetery in Walters.

Eleanor Eunice was born on Nov. 19, 1921, the daughter of Oliver and Helen (Meyer) Wendt at her home in Blue Earth Township, Faribault County, with her grandmother serving as the midwife. She was baptized and confirmed in the EUB Church in Blue Earth. As a youth, she worked at the Green Giant canning factory for 22 cents an hour. She graduated from Blue Earth High School, then entered Teachers’ Training in Blue Earth, followed by Mankato State Teachers’ Training. She taught in a rural Faribault County school from 1940 to 1942. From 1942 to 1945, Eleanor lived in Portland, Ore., and worked as a meteorologist and communications clerk for United Airlines, preparing weather maps and charts and serving as a radio and teletype operator. She took pride in the fact that their office predicted the weather more accurately than the U.S. Weather Department. Beginning in 1963, she worked as an accounting clerk at Deluxe Products in Lake Mills, Iowa, for five years, then as a bookkeeper for Compact Industries for five years. In 1973 she began working for Streater Industries as a junior accountant. After several months, she took at position with Larson Manufacturing in Lake Mills as a bookkeeper and worked there for three years. Following this, Eleanor worked two years at Banquet Foods in Wells, then three years at Piepho Moving and Storage in Albert Lea. Later, she worked for Larry and Nancy Hummer at Kiester Feed and Grain, and for Rosemary Oldfather at This ‘n’ That in Kiester.

She married Wayne A.C. Bogenschutz on Feb. 2, 1946, in Blue Earth. They lived on their farm southeast of Walters until Wayne’s death in 1993. They were members of United Lutheran Church of Walters, where she taught Sunday school classes for a number of years, and also served as superintendent. She was active for a number of years in the American Legion Auxiliary in Kiester and remained active in bridge clubs. She was a skilled craftswoman, making ribbon roses, decorating eggs, doing counted cross-stitch and making gift boxes. She enjoyed card playing, collecting elephants, crafting, flower arranging, bird watching and having lunch at the Maple Cafe.

Eleanor is survived by two sons: Allan and wife Charlotte Bogenschutz of Seattle, Wash., and Ronald Bogenschutz of Eagan, Minn.; one daughter, Janise and husband John Bradley of Good Thunder, Minn.; four grandchildren: Scott Bogenschutz of Eagan, Jennifer Bogenschutz of Marquette, Mich., and Naomi and Erin Bogenschutz of Seattle, Wash.; three step grandchildren: John and wife Mary Jo Brindley of Good Thunder, Kristen and husband Mike Robinson of Burnsville, and Jason and wife Tammi Brindley of North Branch, Minn.; 11 step great-grandchildren; two brothers: Von and wife Marjorie Wendt of Zumbrota, Minn., and Myron and wife Janet Wendt of Orlando, Fla.; and 11 nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and her husband, Wayne, in 1993.