Eleanor Becker Morse

Eleanor passed away peacefully on March 21st 2008 at the Coastal Manor Nursing Home in Yarmouth, Maine. She was born in Toledo, Ohio on Dec 21, 1915, the daughter of Arnold and Lillian Becker. Eleanor went to Libby High School where she excelled in languages and the arts, and was a member of St. Lucas' church. She was devoted to her faith and the Lord and had a deep abiding belief that "everything would work out." She loved her family and her friends and was ready and willing to go anywhere and do anything.

She met Edward Hyde Morse while working at Owens Illinois Glass Company in Toledo and they were married May 27th 1939. Soon after their marriage, they moved to Nashville Tenn. Ned and Eleanor lived there for a year before moving to the Boston area. They lived in Belmont and Winchester where she and her husband raised three children, Edward Hyde, Alice Ann, and John Arnold. While living in Winchester for sixteen years she was devoted to her family; raising her children and like many of her generation she held down the fort while her husband was in the service. In 1956 Ned was transferred to Baltimore Maryland, where they took up residence in Timonium. Eleanor was active with the Dulaney Valley women's singing group. She joined the Hillendale bowling league and the Hillendale Country Club where she was a member of the nine-hole group, winning her share of the handicap scotch foursomes. Eleanor and her husband joined and sang in the Lutherville Timonium Community Chorus. She and Ned loved to sing and, in fact, met while doing a musical together at Owens Illinois in Toledo.

In 1974, Ned retired and they moved to Chebeague Island, Maine where they had been summering since 1950. After retiring they traveled extensively, visiting Hawaii, Singapore, Alaska, California, and many other places. But they always happily returned to "Terrace Lodge", their home on Chebeague Island. Eleanor was a member of the Grange, the Chebeague Island Methodist Church, the Chebeague Island Golf Club and the Whalers. With all of these organizations she served on different committees at different times. She loved to write and if you were in her life you were in her diaries. She was an accomplished pianist and accompanied and sang with coral and church groups. She sang in the church choir and for a while was its director. She also directed the community musicals, which were held in the summers. She often had students taking piano lessons in her home. Her love for music transcended her life, a wonderful gift that she developed. She had an uncanny ability to be able to sight-read a piece of music, sing the alto part and accentuate notes to help others hear their part. Her last performance at the age of 87 was on the Chebeague Island Hall stage singing "Am I Blue" to her dear Ned, who predeceased her in March of 1994. Hers is a legacy of love, loyalty, and steadfastness. Many thanks go to the people of the Island Commons and the Coastal Manor Nursing Home for the wonderful and loving care they gave Eleanor these last few years.

She is survived by her three children, seven grandchildren: Nathaniel and Joshua Lentz, Rebecca Morse Kurtz, Sarah Morse Layng, and Ethan, Jesse, and Madeline Morse, and four great grandchildren, Emma and Henry Kurtz, Addison Lentz and Jacob Lentz. Services will be held in the summer on Chebeague Island.

Arrangements are being made by Lindquist Funeral Home in Yarmouth, Maine. Memorial Donations can be made to The Chebeague Island Methodist Church, Chebeague Island, Maine

There will be a Memorial Service at the Chebeague Church on June 29th at 1pm. Memorial Donations may be made to The Chebeague Untied Methodist Church and to the Island Commons.