In loving memory of Eleanor Carol Sukkestad: Eleanor was born on December 5th, 1939 in Lanesboro, Minnesota on a family farm. Eleanor was a lifelong educator, earning her Bachelor’s degree in Education from Luther University in Decorah, Iowa in 1961, where she met her beloved husband Dennis of 59 years. Eleanor dedicated over three decades of service to teaching elementary schoolers in Iowa and with the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS). During her tenure with SCCPSS, she taught a mosaic of subjects to third through fifth graders, from mathematics and science to reading and geography. She touched the hearts and minds of hundreds of children at 37th Street Elementary and Thunderbolt Elementary schools. Many of her students still remember her mentorship with fondness and gratitude, greeting her with hugs and appreciation during serendipitous meetings around the community. Outside of her career, she was steadfast in her love and care as a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and pet parent. She cared for many animals in her lifetime, including dogs, cats, parakeets, fish, and (at one point) even a fox and two raccoons. She had an impressive green thumb, meticulously tending to her beautiful orchids, begonias, Christmas cacti, garden vegetables, and more each and every season. She was also a talented fiber artist in embroidery, knitting, quilting, and sewing, using her hands to create intricate impressions of the beauty she saw in the natural world. This love for nature was exemplified by her joy in birdwatching, an activity she shared with family and friends.

Eleanor was preceded in death by her husband, Dennis Roy; son, Thomas Roy; brother and sister-in-law, Chuck and Varda Hanson; and parents, Reinhard and Lillie Hanson. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, David and Ellie Sukkestad; granddaughter, Sophia Sukkestad; sister, Margaret Beenken; nephews Eric and Mark Beenken; and sister-in-law, Marlene Neimann.

A graveside memorial service will be held on Tuesday, December 16, 2025 at 9:30 a.m., at Greenwich Cemetery, 350 Greenwich Road, Savannah, GA 31404.