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| Eleanor Watson |
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| People - Obituaries | |||
| Written by Staff | |||
| Friday, 09 January 2009 09:00 | |||
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Eleanor Ruth Peterson Watson, Paola, died at her home Dec. 22, 2008, due to massive coronary failure. She was 86. Eleanor was born on Jan. 5, 1922, in Waubay, S.D., to Marion and Katharine Erskine Peterson. She worked as a registered dietician for the majority of her life serving in Toledo, Ohio; Miami, Fla.; Biloxi, Miss.; Richmond, Va.; and Kansas City, Mo. In Kansas City, she was appointed first as Director of Dietetics for the Veterans Administration, then as the same for Menorah Medical Center. She spent the last 30 years of her career running Institutional Dietetics, her own dietetics consulting firm, which she founded here in Paola. Starting as a consultant for the Miami County Hospital, she eventually traveled all over Kansas, particularly to towns such as Horton and Osawatomie, to help others with their nutritional and dietary needs. She also taught diet instruction to inmates in Leavenworth Penitentiary. She retired, reluctantly, at age 84, and focused on community and social needs. She had a passion for the Red Cross chapter in Paola, and gave her time and energy to it tirelessly. She also participated in city council proceedings, spearheaded the restoration of the Community Center building, guided historical tours at the Swan River Museum, focused on Paola tourism and helped out at Paola Heartland USA to name only a few of her activities. She was a longstanding member of the American Dietetics Association, American Legion Auxiliary, Red Cross and American Diabetes Association. She was married to William (Bill) E. Watson in 1951 and finally settled in Paola in 1972. She was a committed civil servant, very devoted worker, loving mother and grandmother, fearless and funny individual and caring person to all who knew her. She was preceded in death by her husband. Survivors are her daughter, Robin Case, Kansas City, Mo.; one granddaughter; and two sisters, Alice Nelson of Mesa, Ariz., and Rebecca K.P. Wirkus of San Diego, Calif. She loved Paola and the life she built here. She will be greatly missed. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Jan. 12 at Paola Christian Church, with luncheon and option
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