Luze, Eleanor

Eleanor Luze, 84, died peacefully Thursday, June 3, 2010, at Virginia Gay Hospital in Vinton following a short illness. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Van Steenhuyse-Russell Funeral Home and also for an hour before services at the church on Saturday. Funeral services will be Saturday, June 5, at 10:30 a.m. at Blessed Hope Church in Vinton with Pastor Jim Blair officiating. Interment will be at Evergreen Cemetery, Vinton.

Darlene Eleanor Luze was born May 21, 1926, in Vinton, to Ralph and Bessie Whitson Noeller. Eleanor grew up in Vinton and graduated from Lincoln High School. On July 28, 1945, she married Delbert Luze in San Diego, Calif. Eleanor and Del owned and operated the Viking Sewing Center in Vinton, retiring in 1986. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church and Blessed Hope Church in Vinton.

She and Del enjoyed playing cards, dancing and watching the Iowa Hawkeyes. Eleanor and her sister, Charlotte, were accomplished bowlers who participated in local and national tournaments for several years. Eleanor and Del took numerous fishing trips to Canada and passed on their love of fishing and their fishing skills to their children and grandchildren. Eleanor was a socially active person who enjoyed many interests, but her favorite activity was spending time with her family.

Eleanor is survived by her son, Dean (Kathy) Luze, Vinton; daughters, Cindy (Joe) Gannon, Jasper, Ga., and Theresa (Tony) Schwarting, Rowley; eight grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Del, on Feb. 11, 2006; her sister, Charlotte Byam; and two great-grandchildren, Jared Schwarting and Kelsie Franck.

A memorial fund has been established.

Van Steenhuyse-Russell Funeral Home is caring for Eleanor and her family. Condolences may be left at