Eleanor Marie (Mergenmeier) Rusche, 94, of Seneca passed away on the birthday of her mother June 23, 2024, at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital.

Eleanor was born on January 2, 1930, at a farm southeast of Seneca, the daughter of George and Stella (Lierz) Mergenmeier.

Eleanor attended Humphrey School, and other one-room schools from elementary school to eighth grade.

Eleanor, at the age of 13, worked at many relatives’ homes when new babies arrived.  At the age of 16, she worked at Ann’s Sandwich Shop where she met the “Love Of Her Life”, Glen.

She married Glen E. Rusche on August 5, 1947, at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Seneca, Kansas.  Three days after they got married, they bought a Jeep Trencher and established their business, “Glen E. Rusche Trenching”.  Throughout the years the business added excavating, plumbing and trucking.  Eleanor did the bookkeeping for 47 years until Glen’s death in 1994.

Eleanor was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, St. Ann’s Altar Society and the VFW Auxiliary.  She held a rosary from India, which was a 90^th birthday gift from Father Arul.

Eleanor’s family and friends were her greatest love.  She enjoyed cooking and serving food and coffee to anyone who entered her home. Her specialty was her fantastic fried chicken with milk gravy, which her family claimed as their favorite family recipe.  Her grandkids loved her toasted veleta cheese and grape jelly sandwiches, dunked in a cup of coffee.

Eleanor was preceded in death by her parents, George & Stella Mergenmeier, her husband Glen E. Rusche, her sons Von, Danny Joe, and Jimmy, a daughter Mary Ann

Spellmeier, daughter-in-law Doris Rusche and son-in-law Reuben Spellmeier, two grandsons, John & Jeff Rusche and a granddaughter Jackie Rusche. Siblings preceding her were Melvin (Dorothy) Mergenmeier, George (Nadine) Mergenmeier, Dorothy Mae (Ves) Koch, Rosalie (Bill) McMurphy and Marie (Merle) Welch.

Eleanor is survived by her sons Glen L. (Mary Ellen) and David (Gladys), 16 Grandchildren, 51 Great Grandchildren and 6 Great Great Grandchildren.  Jeanette (Ernie) Graham of Casper, Wyoming, is her only surviving sister.

A rosary will be prayed at 7 PM Wednesday, June 26, 2024, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 AM Thursday, June 27, 2024, at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca.

Memorials can be given in Eleanor’s memory are to be Sts. Peter and Paul School and or Nemaha Valley Community Hospital Building Fund and sent in care of the family.