Eloise Elizabeth Lemner

A loving and giving woman, it was easy to see that Eloise Lemner’s heart beat to serve her family in ways both great and small. She thought nothing of setting aside her own needs to give preference to the needs of others as doing so was simply second nature for her. She had a great sense of humor and loved to tease those around her all in the name of fun. With the love of her life by her side for most of her life, Eloise was content in whatever life brought her as she embraced both the great joys and the deep sorrows of life. Throughout her full and rewarding journey, she created a brilliant collection of memories that will remain near and dear to the hearts of those who treasured her.

The decade that became known as the Roaring Twenties was an exciting time in America as innovation was leading the way to advancements in technology that would forever change the cultural fabric of our nation. Prosperity was the overall theme of the decade and with Broadway at an all-time peak and legends such as Babe Ruth commanding the baseball field, Americans had plenty of options when it came to kicking back and enjoying life a little. Nestled within this vibrant decade was the year 1926 that brought great joy to one young family from Manteno, Illinois, since they were pleased to announce the birth of a healthy baby girl on April 25th. Eloise Elizabeth was welcomed into the arms of her parents, Fred and Lucille (Nusbaum) Langlois, and was one of two children in her family including her sister, Luella.

Life turned in a new and exciting direction for Eloise when she met and fell deeply in love with the young man who would forever hold the key to her heart. His name was Harold Lemner and together they were blessed with the births of two sons, James and Steven. As a mother Eloise was second to none as she was as loving and giving as they come. She was compassionate and patient with her boys and attentively tended to the needs of her family. Eloise always desired the best of everything for her family and did what she could to bring that to fruition. In addition to being a devoted mother she was also an outstanding wife who always saw to it that she had dinner ready at promptly four o’clock each day so that when Harold walked through the door at ten after four they could enjoy a home cooked meal.

Although her focus was always first and foremost on her family, Eloise was enriched in other ways as well. She worked as a secretary for A.O. Smith for ten years and loved traveling with her husband, especially when they visited the Ozarks and Nashville. Those who knew Eloise knew that she was a huge country music fan when it came to classic country like songs from Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash. She enjoyed being outdoors, particularly fishing and camping, and she liked dancing as well. Eloise had a knack for jewelry making and regularly created things for her family and the staff at Miller. She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, the Christian Women’s Association, and the CCW at St. Joseph. Eloise liked getting in touch with her creative side not only through her jewelry making, but also through flower arranging. She enjoyed the theater, romantic comedies, and was a great shopper who was even better at returning things she decided she didn’t need or want after all.

As much as Eloise enjoyed pursuing all of her interests, nothing was ever of greater importance to her than spending time with her family. She was delighted to become a grandmother and as the years went by, loved spending time just hanging out with her grandchildren.

Through the life of Eloise Lemner we learn that it is not the things in life that truly make us happy, but that it is through the lives we touch that we are richly blessed. A woman of faith, she made it her life’s mission to care for the family she was given by the Lord she loved and that in doing so, she impacted lives for generations to come. One could usually count on being teased by Eloise at one time or another, however, it was no secret that she wasn’t really so fond of being teased back. A true gift in the lives of many, she will be deeply missed and warmly remembered.

Eloise E. Lemner of Bradley died on Tuesday, July 5, 2011. Eloise’s family includes her sons: James (Joan) Lemner of Bradley and Steven (Darci) Lemner of Bradley; grandchildren: Kyle and Kevin Lemner of Bradley, Jessica (Adam) Fancher of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Aaron Lemner of Arlington Heights and Craig Lemner of Bradley; great grandchildren: Dakota and Cheyenne; step grandson: Mitchell Goodknecht of Bradley and several nieces and nephews. Eloise was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Harold; sister, Luella (Arthur) Pepin; and nephews: Scott Trepanier and Ronald Trepanier. A time for family and friends to gather will be held Thursday, July 7, 2011 from 4-8 p.m. at the Kankakee Chapel of the Schreffler Lifestory Funeral Home and a funeral service will be held at the funeral home Friday, July 8, 2011 at 10:00am. Burial will be at the St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Manteno. Memorials may be made to family wishes. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a favorite memory or sign the online guestbook.