Eleanor Theresa McGovern, 97

Eleanor Theresa McGovern, 97, passed away peacefully on Sept. 2, 2016, with some of her family present.

Funeral Mass will conducted at 11 a.m., on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016, in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church with Father Dennis C. Day officiating. The Vigil service will be said at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 16, 2016, in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Inurnment will take place in Pinecrest Memorial Park.

Eleanor was born on Nov. 17, 1918, to Joseph and Katherine (Wenck) Kunkel in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. She was the third born of five children. Due to a great drought, her mother and father could no longer homestead and moved the family back to Plainfield, New Jersey.

Eleanor grew up loving to swim and ride horses. She spent many of her adolescent years having fun at Watch-ung Lake, New Jersey. She graduated from high school in 1934. From there she commuted daily back and forth from New Jersey to New York City, where she worked for the Signature Company.

She met and married Bernard Vincent McGovern in 1938, and was part of a pre-established family with two stepdaughters. Eleanor and Barney lived in New Jersey until they decided to “move out west” to Sandpoint, Idaho. They lived on Bottle Bay with lake frontage.

Eleanor was quite the pioneer woman as she lived in the “yellow house on the hill” with no phone service, always doing her best to raise five children with Barney. This home was one of luxury as it had electricity, indoor plumbing, and oil heat.

As Barney worked in civil service, they relocated to Glasgow, Mont., Air Force Base in 1961. They moved to Spokane, Wash., Fairchild Air Force Base in 1968, and spent their summers on Bottle Bay. Upon retirement, they spent their winters in Sarasota, Fla.

Eleanor had quite the business head for real estate as she bought, improved, and sold property while living in Florida. After her husband passed away in 1986, Eleanor moved back to Spokane.

Her youngest son, Gary, and his wife, Debbie, have lived with her since that time. Gary and Debbie became Eleanor’s primary caregivers for the past two years until her involvement with Hospice and another, wonderful, caregiver.

Eleanor is survived by five children, 13 grandchildren, and 28 great-grandchildren. She enjoyed a special relationship with many of them within various chapters of her life. We all loved her sense of humor, her love, and compassion for all.

Family and friends are invited to sign Eleanor’s online guest book at www.coffeltfuenral.com.

Arrangements are under the care of Coffelt Funeral Service of Sandpoint.