Eleanor Dalton Newmister Obituary (1921 - 2013)

Eleanor Dalton Newmister, 92, of Bloomington, died at 2:30 pm, Friday, August 30, 2013 at Martin Health Center, Bloomington.Funeral mass will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 4, 2013 at Epiphany Catholic Church in Normal. Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery in Merna. Visitation will be from 11:30-12:30 am, Wednesday at Carmody-Flynn Williamsburg Funeral Home, Bloomington. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Kathryn Marie Albee Early Learning Center at Epiphany Catholic Church or KAMR (Kankakee Association for the Mentally Retarded) Parent Group of Shapiro Developmental Center.Eleanor was born July 19, 1921 in Bloomington. She married Norlan E. "Curly" Newmister on June 22, 1946 in Merna. He died on May 14, 2013.Survivors include four children, Marvin E. (Jean) Newmister of Bloomington, Mona Elaine (Jim) Pualoa of Herndon, VA, Melvin Newmister of Kankakee and David (Cyndi) Newmister of Normal; one daughter-in-law, Denise ONeill of Bloomington; eight grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; one great-great granddaughter and one sister, Lorraine (Louis) Danko, Streator and a brother-in-law, Ron Newmister, Dayton, MD.She was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas and Monica Hayes Dalton of Merna; two brothers, Paul and Tom Dalton; and three sisters, Monica Carmody, Florence Donnor and Margaret Dalton.Eleanor was a 1938 graduate of Cooksville High School, a 1943 graduate of ISNU and received her Masters in Education from ISU in 1973. She was a lifelong educator and began teaching at Union School, which was a one room school house near McLean. She later taught at Decatur, Central School in Normal, Morris and ended her career at ISU. She was particularly proud of her involvement in the Early Childhood Development Program while at ISU and Metcalf. Eleanor was instrumental in its development while teaching there. She was equally proud of being a stay at home mother for 24 years.Eleanor was a member of numerous organizations, but three that were dear to her heart were Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority, the Illinois Association of Retarded Citizens and the Altar Rosary Society at both Holy Trinity and Epiphany Catholic Churches.Eleanor was a devoted Irish Catholic who wanted to instill that belief in her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.The family would like to thank the nurses and staff at Westminster Village, Martin Health Center, Advocate BroMenn Hospice and Carmody-Flynn Williamsburg Funeral Home for their care and support in getting Eleanors family through this difficult time.To express condolences online, please visit www.carmodyflynn.com.