Eleanor May (Leyrer) Stelmark was born September 21, 1944 in Clare, MI to Pastor Edmund and Doris (Schlichter) Leyrer. She was baptized on October 15, 1944 at St. John Lutheran Church – Clare MI. On August 10, 1958 she was confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church at Elkton, MI. Eleanor attended grade school at St. John's Lutheran School, Burne, MI and graduated from JE Murphy High School in Hurley, WI on May 25, 1962.

She married on April 4, 1964 and that union was blessed with a daughter, Laura Lynn Stelmark. In 1966 she moved to Millville, MN and worked at the Kahler Hotel in Rochester for many years. She then attended Rochester Vo-tech and received her degree as a Medical Secretary. She worked at Olmsted Community Hospital till 1980 when she moved to New Ulm. In New Ulm she worked at K-Mart while putting her daughter through Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School. In 1984, she moved back to Millville to help care for her father until his death in August of 1984.

In later years, she suffered from end stage renal disease and chronic pain and received excellent care from all of her nurses and doctors while going through dialysis treatments.

Her greatest joys in life were serving her Lord, being with her grandchildren, attending as many of their activities as possible, and enjoying the many music boxes she collected over the years. She enjoyed playing organ in her church from her teens through her later years.

She resided at Homestead – Rochester Living and Rehabilitation Center from July 2016 till the Lord called her home to heaven on July 17, 2017.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Laura & Bob Nelson; her grandchildren – Brandon, Bradley, and Brianna Nelson of Rochester; her aunt, Evarene Newman of Saginaw, MI; her sisters, Carolyn Fein of Saginaw, MI and Evelyn Rogotzke of Sanborn, MN; her 8 nieces and nephews – Debra Fredrickson, Kristie (Clay) Rash, John (Merrilee) Rogotzke, Leah (Scott) Zerbe, July (Jim) Neeb, Jim (Becky) Rogotzke, Rachel (Andrew) Wise, Steen (Angie) Rogotzke and many great nieces and nephews. She was proceeded in death by her father and mother, many aunts and uncles, nephew, David Fein and great niece, Anna Rogotzke.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, July 20, at Ascension Lutheran Church in Rochester from 9am – 11am. The service will be at 11am.

The burial will be held on Friday, July 21 at 11am in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Sanborn, MN.