Eleanore B. Evenson, 95, of Pullman, died July 13, 2016 at the Memory Villa's at Bishop Place Retirement Community in Pullman, WA

Eleanore Beatrice Westlund Evenson was born on August 17, 1920 in Minneapolis, the middle of three sisters, to Nathanial Westlund and Alfreida Petersson Westlund in Minneapolis, MN. Eleanore's parents were immigrants from Sweden and did well for themselves through their men's suit tailoring business.

She attended Minnehaha Academy and earned both her bachelor's degree and master's degree in Home Economics Education from the University of Minnesota. In her early career, Eleanore taught at high schools in small towns in Minnesota and Iowa. She was a creative teacher, offering sewing, cooking, and money management classes to boys during World War II and helping to implement the School Lunch Program. After a brief stint in Buffalo, NY, Eleanore returned to Minneapolis and married Lee Nils Evenson, of Thief River Falls, Minnesota. They had one daughter, Sandra Lee. Lee passed away from complications related tot lung cancer in 1961. Eleanore was offered her old job back and taught patternmaking and apparel production at Buffalo State Teacher's College for almost 20 years. In the late 1970s, Eleanore redesigned her courses to better prepare students for careers in the New York City apparel industry.

Eleanore loved to sew and she learned her superb skills helping her father in the tailoring shop. She and her sister Ruth retired to Black Mountain, North Carolina where, they both enjoyed their many textile interests, including weaving, spinning yarn, nature dyeing, bobbin lace, knitting, and embroidery.

Eleanore loved to travel with family and friends and usually took daughter Sandy with her, from Banff to the Bahamas to Bankok. She visited Sweden several times, staying connected to aunts, uncles, and cousins. Whereever she went, she brought back textiles and clothing to use in her teaching. She was an outstanding role model to women.

Eleanore is survived by daughter Sandy and granddaughter Emma Evenson Trayte. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Ruth Westlund and Esther Martin, and her husband Lee.

The memorial service will be held at 2 PM on Friday, July 22, 2016 in the Independent Living Social Hall at Bishop Place in Pullman, WA. Kimball Funeral Home of Pullman, WA is caring for the family.

Flowers are welcome, as are donations to Public Television at www.pbs.org.