Obituary: Eleanor Mae Swain

Eleanor Mae Swain (Turnbull), 91, of Grand Island, entered into rest Jan. 4, 2019.

She was born May 31, 1927, in Buffalo. She was the daughter of the late J. Malcolm and Grace Turnbull. Sister of the late Malcolm, Melvin, Eddie and Bill Turnbull, she is survived by her sister Phyllis Jost.

She attended Buffalo State College and was enrolled in the teaching program. There she met and married her soulmate, Donald Swain of Kenmore. Don was studying to be an industrial arts teacher. They married on June 21, 1947. They both quit school and moved to Sunset Drive on Grand Island. They had six children. El returned to school to complete her teaching degree when their youngest child, Karen, went to kindergarten. El taught at Niagara Street School in Niagara Falls for 25 years. Don and El retired on the same day. They enjoyed their winters in Florida, traveling and spending time with their family. El’s favorite thing was being with her children, grandchildren and her great-grandchildren. They were married 67 years before Don passed away on Dec. 9, 2014.

El is survived by two sons: Paul (Martha), Donald (Susan) and the late Terry (the late Valerie) and the late Ronald Swain. She has two daughters: Kathleen (Wayne) Benton and Karen (the late Samuel) Clark (fiancé Darryl Sehm).

Her grandchildren: Wayne (Robin) Benton, Terry (Katie) Benton, Tanya Ilecki, Julie (Liebe) Meier-Swain, Kim (Jon) Korzen, Jodie (Mike) Rudney, Katie (Joe) Digregorio, Paul (Alaina) Swain, Timothy (Lisbeth) Swain, Shawna Lester, Nikki Clark, Matthew (Shawnee) Clark and the late Christopher Clark.

Her great-grandchildren: Skyler and Grayson Meier-Swain, Kathleen Ilecki; Hannah, Jake and Dylan Benton, Brendon and Taylor Benton; Kaitlyn, Calli and Ella Rudney, Kobe Swain, Dominic and Matthew Digregorio, Christopher and Kim Swain, Laura and Audrey Swain, Adam Korzen and Riley Clark.

Her great-great-grandchild: Leighton Lester.

A private family service was held Sunday, Jan. 6, at the Kaiser Funeral Home.