Elinor M. Bleck, age 99, of Watertown, SD, passed away on Friday, August 10, 2018, at a care center in Watertown.
She was the widow of George P. Bleck.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, August 17, 2018, at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Watertown.
Rev. Tom Emanuel will officiate.
Music will be provided by Bruce Reinhardt as organist.
The family is requested to meet at the church on Friday by 10:00 a.m. for a prayer service. Visitation will be at the Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel in Watertown on Thursday, August 16, 2018, from 5-7 p.m. and prior to services at the church on Friday. A private family burial will take place before the service at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Watertown.
Honorary pallbearers will be Carroll and Diann Moe, Howard and Lefka Ostlund, Hope Rohr, members of the Eastern Star and the staff and residents of Jenkins Living Center. Memorials may be directed to Jenkins Living Center or the First Congregational United Church of Christ. Elinor was born on November 15, 1918, in Huron, SD, to Lloyd and Adella (Buhr) Groves.
She graduated from Huron High School in 1936 then attended Interstate Business College in Fargo, ND. On January 16, 1943, Elinor married George P. Bleck in Huron, SD.
The couple made their home in Huron before moving to Watertown, SD, in 1948 to take over the Standard Oil Bulk Plant, running it until 1971. She was a member of First Congregational United Church of Christ and was very active within the church since 1948.
She was a member of the Eastern Star and enjoyed playing in numerous bridge clubs.
Elinor enjoyed knitting, ceramics, quilting, and Hardanger embroidery.
George and Elinor enjoyed traveling after their retirement. Elinor is survived by her children, Robert (Sung Mae) Bleck, of Engelwood, CO, and Georgia (Rich) Hetland, of Sioux Falls, SD; three grandchildren: Melani Bleck, Melissa (Michael) Heitkamp and Alanna (Brandon) Ogan; three great-grandchildren: Jaya and Nora Heitkamp and Kellan Ogan; and one sister-in-law, Ona Groves, of Carbondale, IL. Elinor is preceded in death by her husband, George; her parents; two brothers and one sister.
Service Details.
Visitation
When: August 16, 2018 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel
Address: 208 3rd St SW De Smet SD SD 57231
Service
When: August 17, 2018 10:30am
Location: First Congregational United Church of Christ
Address: 121 1st Avenue SE Watertown, SD 57201
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Elinor M. Bleck, please visit our floral store.