Eleanor Hanau, 88 of Syracuse, formerly of Cook, passed away on May 29, 2019. She was born on the family farm near Avoca, to Walter and Mable (Diller) Ruhga on May 28th, 1931. She was the 3rd of 4 children: her sister, Leora was the oldest, then an older brother, Ivan, herself, and younger brother, Charles. Charles currently lives in Omaha, NE.

Eleanor went to rural schools in both Avoca and Cook, NE and then went to Cook Community Schools. On September 13, 1947 she married Raymond Hanau.

Raymond and Eleanor farmed together on the 5 generation farm and raised their 2 daughters on the family farm; Carolyn (Bill) Cropp and Nancy Engel. Eleanor also opened her own Ceramic Shop, "Eleanor's Ceramic's" while living on the farm and continued this business when she and Raymond moved into their house in Cook upon retiring from farming. In January of 1985, Raymond passed away from heart failure. Eleanor remained in Cook and worked as a store clerk at several town shops after Raymond passed.

Eleanor enjoyed all the homemaker skills, sewing, quilting, crafting, and especially crocheting. She made and donated over 100 stocking caps to the homeless shelter in Lincoln and was an active member of Grace Lutheran Church in Cook, serving as a Sunday School Teacher, Bible Study Leader and Women's Organization Officer which provided all the funeral dinners for the church community's membership.

Eleanor has 6 grandchildren, Melanie, Bryce, Aaron, Amy, Joel and Candyce, and has 10 great-grandchildren, Taylor, Trevor, Rory, Nathan, Lucas, Brylee, Addie, Alex, Callie and Harper.

She was preceded in death by her parents Walter & Mable Ruhga, husband Raymond, sister Leora Davis, brother Ivan Ruhga and son-in-law Rodney Engel.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, June 1st at 2:00 P.M. at the Grace Lutheran Church in Cook. Burial will follow at the Grace Lutheran Cemetery.

Visitation will be held on Friday, May 31st from 9 A.M. until 9 P.M. with family greeting friends from 6-8 P.M. at the funeral home in Syracuse.

Memorials are suggested to the family for later designation.

Arrangements By: Fusselman Allen Harvey Funeral Home, Syracuse, NE

Condolences to www.fusselmanallenharvey.com