Eleanor Kathleen (Grassel) Unterbrunner

Eleanor Unterbrunner, age 97, of Woonsocket, formerly of Carthage, passed away Sunday, June 25, 2017, at Prairie View Care Center, Woonsocket.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 AM, Friday, June 30, 2017 at St. Wilfrid’s Catholic Church, Woonsocket.  Visitation will start Thursday with a Rosary at 4:30pm, and resume from 5pm to 7pm and a Scripture service to be said at 7pm, all at St. Wilfrid’s Catholic Church, Woonsocket. The celebrant will be Father Jim Friedreich.

Eleanor Unterbrunner was born on December 26, 1919, to Joe and Mary (Maddock) Grassel at the family farm north of Artesian.  She was baptized in the St. Anthony Church at Brisbine, the country church close to home.  She attended country schools for eight years.  After graduating, she stayed home the next year to help her mother.  Eleanor then attended high school in Woonsocket for one year before transferring to Artesian for three more years and graduating in 1939.  The next year she entered Notre Dame Junior College and attained a teaching certificate after one year.  She taught country schools in Floyd and Oneida Townships.  During the World War II period, she spent one year working at Long Beach, CA, in the McDonald Douglas Aircraft factory.  Longing for South Dakota and teaching children, she returned home.  She taught two more years and then attained a State certificate to teach in town schools.  She taught in Miller and Woonsocket.  In 1948 she married Robert Unterbrunner at St. Charles Catholic Church in Artesian and became a farm wife.  Twelve children were born to Robert and Eleanor. 

The Unterbrunners were members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Carthage, attending for many years until the church was closed.  The family then became members of the St. Charles Catholic Church in Artesian.  Eleanor resided on the farm until November 2012 when she became a resident of Prairie View Care Center (PVCC) in Woonsocket. Eleanor was a member of the American Cancer Society in Sanborn County.  She held the office of secretary for several years.  She was a member of the Carthage American Legion Auxiliary.  She held the office of president for a few years and was chaplain for many years.  She was a member of the Altar Societies in all her years after marrying.Eleanor Kathleen Unterbrunner passed away on June 25, 2017 at PVCC in Woonsocket.

Survivors include eleven children:  Dianne (Frank) Larson, Pierre; Craig (Selena), Platte; Lynn (Mary Kay) of Yorkville, Illinois; Charles (Mary Michelle), Artesian; Marla Feistner, Woonsocket; Mona (Randy) Hall, Ree Heights; Elizabeth (Leonard) Sanderson, Mina Lake; Bruce (Jean) of Abrams, Wisconsin; Judy (Mike) Cuka, Wagner; Bonnie (Larry) Murtha, Brandon; and Scott (Maxine), Colman; daughter-in-law Kathy Nordstrom, Yankton; 43 grandchildren, 53 great-grandchildren, sister Raeburn Moore, Mitchell, brother John Grassel, Mitchell, brother-in-laws Marvin (Dottie) VanOverschelde, Norval (Shorty) Mathis, sister-in-laws Shirley Mae Beers, Marcy Hinker, other relatives and friends.

Preceding Eleanor in death were her husband, an infant son, a son Rex, son-in-law Darrell Feistner, great-granddaughter Amaya Larson, step-grandson Douglas Passaro, her parents, sisters Ruth Hinker, Monica VanOverschelde, and Mary Jo Vetter, brothers Ted Grassel and Francis Grassel, in-laws Paul Beers, Delores Mathis, Loretta Grassel, Arlene Grassel, Mel Moore, Lloyd Hinker, Leo Vetter.

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