Eleanor Harper

Eleanor Jean Harper passed away following a brief illness January 24, 2019. Eleanor was born January 23, 1934, in Omaha, Nebraska, to Edward and Frances Skokan. She grew up and attended schools in Omaha, graduating from Benson High School. She attended the University of Nebraska Omaha earning a Bachelor’s degree. During her summer breaks Eleanor was an employee at Canyon in Yellowstone National Park. After college, she looked for a job close to Yellowstone leading her to the LDS Hospital in Idaho Falls working in the hospital laboratory as a medical technologist. This is where she met Tom. After comparing class rings on their first date they were surprised to learn they were both raised in Omaha not far from one another. They were married July 2, 1960 in Boise. To this union was born two daughters, Susan Marie and Pamela Jean. Eleanor and Thomas made their home in Idaho Falls where Eleanor had a long career as a　laboratory medical technologist. Eleanor and Tom became members of First Presbyterian Church early in their marriage and she remained so to present day. She enjoyed serving and supporting her church community　attending ice cream socials, picnics, Progressive Dinners, Desert Fellowship breakfasts, and potluck dinners. In recent years, Eleanor enjoyed attending Family Camp weekends at Camp Sawtooth with her daughters and grandson. Eleanor loved being a grandma to Michael. It is doubtful she missed a single choir performance, school science fair, YMCA baseball/basketball/soccer games, track meets, and Babe Ruth baseball games. In 2017 she was thrilled to travel to Fort Jackson, South Carolina to watch him graduate from the Army's Basic Combat Training. Spending time with family was very important to Eleanor. She looked forward to frequent family gatherings at Fort Robinson State Park in western Nebraska, exploring the Black Hills in South Dakota, and attending family reunions in Niobrara, Nebraska. Eleanor enjoyed her friendships with the "Friday Nights Ladies," going out to dinner Friday evenings to various local restaurants. She was long time season ticket holder to the Idaho Falls Symphony and the Idaho Falls Chukars. She loved spending summer evenings at the ballpark. As a Nebraska Native, it was her birthright to be a Nebraska Cornhuskers fan. Eleanor and Tom were fortunate to attend a couple of football games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln as well a Nebraska appearance at the College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha. Eleanor is survived by her loving daughters, Susan Marie Harper and Pamela Jean Carroll; caring son-in-law, Erin Blake Carroll; cherished grandson, Michael Edward Harper, all of Idaho Falls; brother and sister-in-law, Don and Ellie Skokan of Wichita, Kansas; sister and brother-in-law, Judy and Willie Rivas of Golden, Colorado; nephew, Paul (Marci) Farmer of Letcher, South Dakota; niece, Jenny (Scott) Hovarter of Golden, Colorado; and nephew, Will Rivas of Mansura, Louisiana. She was preceded in death by her husband Tom and parents Edward and Frances. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, February 8, 2019, at the First Presbyterian Church, 325 Elm Street, with Pastor Phil Hagen officiating. The family will visit with friends from 1:30 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. prior to services. Interment will be at Rose Hill Cemetery in Shenandoah, Iowa. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Community Food Basket Idaho Falls,　245 N. Placer Ave., Idaho Falls, ID 83402 or online at www.communityfoodbasketidahofalls.org .

Funeral Services will be held