Obituary of Eleanor Louise Grier

Eleanor Louise Grier, 99, passed away on November 5, 2009, at the Hospice of Jasper County Monarch Wing in Newton. Eleanor was born in Cedar Rapids on April 30, 1910, at her grandparent's home. She was the daughter of Walter Pearl and Lena May (Fields) Yerkes. She graduated from Tama High School and Iowa Teachers College in Cedar Falls. She taught school in Hull, Iowa, Brooklyn, and after her family was grown, she taught kindergarten at Lincoln School in Newton. She met Paul Ruben Grier while teaching in Brooklyn and they married on December 31, 1936. She has made her home at Park Centre in Newton the past 2 years. Eleanor was an active member at the 1st United Methodist Church. She has served as president of Mother's Study Unit, president of United Church Women, was Secretary of Methodist Women Society for several years, and had been a church circle chairman. She had been a member of Clio club and was an honorary member of Chapter K TTT. Per her wishes, Eleanor's body has been donated to the University of Iowa. Pence-Reece Funeral home is handling arrangements. Memorials may be left to the First United Methodist Church, Hospice of Jasper County, or a charity of choice. Survivors are her daughter, Diane Birchard of Newton, Bruce Grier (Deanna) of Mesa, AZ and Julie Shook (Daryl) of Greene, IA. She has 10 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren, a sister, Meredith Peters of Des Moines. She was preceeded in death by her parents and her husband, Paul in 1995.