Eleanor May Wolff

Eleanor May Wolff, age 87, of Grants Pass, passed away on Monday, December 5, 2011 after a long battle with Crohns Disease.

Eleanor was born March 27, 1924 in Paterson, NJ. The second of six children of John Donald Way and Jennie Pezzutti. She was raised, attended school and met her husband Robert (Bob) Rudolph Wolff (introduced by his brother and sister-in-law) in Hawthorne, NJ. They were married on August 20, 1950 at the First Reformed Church in Hawthorne.

During their courtship, Bob took her on a date to her first drive-in movie. She was so shy and quiet that when he asked what she wanted [for a snack] and she didn't answer him, he just bought her one of everything they sold. During the 1949 holiday season, Bob kept a small Christmas tree in the back of his car and would place a new present under the tree every time he went to pick her up.

They raised their three children on Daniel Street in Oak Ridge, NJ living in the same house from 1957 until after Bob's death, and Eleanor's move to California with oldest daughter Gloria in 1988.

They were married for nearly 35 years until Bob passed away in 1985 from complications of Pneumonia, Rheumatoid Athritis and a lifetime of heart problems. She took care of him for the last 20 years of his disability - through rehabilitation of his knees, hips, toes, and fingers she never left his side.

After moving to Northern California in 1988 at the age of 64 she worked in a senior center teaching crafts, in a fabric store, and at a dry cleaners - always taking care of herself financially, even in one of the most expensive places to live. Most importantly, she spent more time making crafts and selling them at shows and fairs around the country than she spent sleeping in her life. She was still working on new crafts right up until her passing.

She kept in close contact with her entire family, both immediate and extended all her life. She supported her kids, grandkids and great-grandkids in any way possible.

In 1992, she was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and was sealed to her sweet husband for time and all eternity on November 2, 1996. After 26 years apart, she is finally in his arms again.

Eleanor is also survived by: children, Gloria Spencer of Grants Pass, Darlene Lewis and Robert Wolff, both of North Carolina; sisters, Betty Earl of New Jersey and Irene Cicero of Florida; brother, John Way of New Jersey; six grandchildren: Ken Foody of Utah, Jeff Foody of Oregon, Kelly Vivirito of Virginia, Nicole Hoffman of North Carolina, Robert Mayer of North Carolina and Casey Wolff of Fort Walton Beach, Florida; and 14 great-grandchildren.

Preceding Eleanor in death are her parents, her husband, sister Violet Arpen and brother William Way.

Funeral Services will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Stake Center located at 922 W. Harbeck Rd., Grants Pass on Saturday, December 10, 2011. Viewing at 10am and Funeral Service at 11am. She will be buried at Eagle Point National Veterans Cemetery on Monday, December 12, 2011.