I wanted to let you all know how sad we are to hear of Eleanor's death. I am very sorry that we could not make it to the memorial service to see you all and to share some of our grief and our wonderful memories of your mother. I would however, like to let you know how much Eleanor meant to me, to Carrie, and even to my daughters in the brief time that they knew her.

First, a few of my memories of Eleanor: To me, she was the closest aunt and arguably the closest relative in the extended Flaspohler/Morrison family. This was a result of her the love she extended and the effort she made to reach out to us and to be present as a host when we were in town or a guest during important moments in our lives. As you know, she went to great effort to attend my, Rhonda, and John's weddings, and was always so positive, supportive, and interested in our lives. I have many rich memories of visits to the Washington D.C. area, including Ocean City, Great Falls, Rehoboth Beach, with Eleanor's guidance and sense of humor leading us across the landscape she loved.

One memory that I will never forget that to me, encapsulates Eleanor's unique and complex personality happened during a visit our family made to her home in Bethesda when I was about 15. We had spent the day visiting sites in DC, and were a bit worn out. Eleanor was driving us back to her home when she turned off of the main thoroughfare and as she entered her neighborhood, she mentioned rather offhandedly (as though this were a perfectly normal goal) that she sometimes liked to turn off the engine and try to coast silently the last 4-5 blocks to her house. We all exchanged somewhat puzzled looks. To pull this off, she had to use the brake as little as possible and keep up her speed through several 90 deg. turns down residential streets. While Eleanor concentrated on the twists and turns without the aid of power steering or breaks, we were tossed about in the car and found ourselves laughing hysterically. I don't think I have ever seen my mother laugh so hard ... until she was absolutely breathless. As we finally glided into her driveway, with our eyes aching from laughter, I believe we all felt both relief and exhilaration. Eleanor knew how to enjoy life, how to challenge herself, and how to extend her love to her family and beyond.

Last summer, during our stay in a Fargo bed-and-breakfast for John and Molly's wedding, she spent some wonderful time with Genevieve and Ingrid, showing them her cosmetic kit and sharing her room with the girls. Carrie and I are so very grateful that we had that week with her and that our girls had a chance to know their great-aunt Eleanor. Your mother was a wonderful person who touched many people with her warmth, generosity, and love of both the familiar and unfamiliar thrills of the world. She will be missed by all of us and we send our love and hopes to you all and your families.

Please let us know if you would like to visit the Upper Peninsula. We cannot promise as informative a tour as your mother could deliver, but would love to see any of you if you are in the area.

Love and peace,
David, Carrie, Genevieve and Ingrid Flaspohler