Eleanor Louise Colby, of Lafayette, died November 16, 2023 at Creasy Springs Health, Lafayette, Ind.  She was born on February 2, 1925 to Jesse T. Larimore and Rebecca Helen (Lipp) Larimore in Carroll County, Indiana.

Eleanor graduated from Frankfort High School in 1941 at the age of sixteen and spent the next four years contributing to the war effort by working on the family farm. She married Vaughn Alden Colby on June 15, 1947 and they had five children, Suzanne (Jay) Hawley, Rebecca (Dan) Bollinger, Connie (Harry) Smith, Jennifer (Randy) Jeffries and Roger Wayne (Bridget) Colby.

Eleanor and Vaughn farmed near Geetingsville, Indiana for more than twenty years and she moved to Rossville in 1972 following Vaughn’s death. She was an accomplished seamstress, gardener and cook, renowned for her noodles, chicken casserole and cookies. An avid reader, Eleanor was instrumental in forming a county-wide library system in Clinton County and starting a branch library in Rossville. Civic and community-oriented, she was involved with the local schools and a long-time election poll worker. She was an elder in the Presbyterian Church, USA.

Eleanor is survived by four daughters, a daughter-in-law, seven grandchildren and a bounty of great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift in Eleanor’s memory to DAV, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301 or online at dav.org.

Visitation and Services

A private graveside service will be held at Green Lawn Cemetery in Frankfort, Ind. with the Rev. Kevin Bowers officiating.

Preceded by:

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, son and one grandson as well as many friends and relatives.