Eleanor Blecha

Eleanor H. (Baxa) Blecha, daughter of Stanislaus and Anastasia (Rizek) Baxa, was born July 29, 1917 on the family farm in Jefferson Township, Republic County, Kansas. The angelic choir took her to her heavenly home October 30, 2011 at Mount Joseph Senior Village, Concordia, Kansas at the age of 94 years, 3 months and 1 day. Eleanor was the 2nd child of Stanislaus (Stanley) and Anastasia (Estella) and attended Jefferson Center School and later Belleville High School, graduating in 1936. During her high school years, Eleanor was active in music and was one of the organists at St. Isidore's and St. Edward's Catholic Churches. Eleanor always enjoyed music and it was at a country dance where Eleanor met Ernest E. Blecha. Their love grew, and on September 8, 1937, they were married at St. Edward's Catholic Church in Belleville, Kansas. The couple resided on the Blecha family farm near Munden, Kansas and unto this union of nearly 68 years, six children were born. Eleanor and Ernest lived on the farm for nearly all of their married lives. Eleanor could always be found sewing or cooking for her family. She loved having the entire family "home" at the farm and enjoyed making their favorite pan fried chicken, homemade rolickys, kolaches and cinnamon rolls. Eleanor was a loving and devoted grandmother, teaching her grandchildren a love for Church, music, sewing and cooking. Her gentle "te,te,te" and a shake of her finger was always a gentle reminder that one of the grandchildren needed correcting. Eleanor was a devoted wife and loved listening to Guy Lombardo and Lawrence Welk with Ernest, and once in a great while, you would catch them dancing a few steps together to make the grandchildren smile. Eleanor was a member of St. George's Catholic Church and St. George's Altar Society of Munden, Kansas. Eleanor was preceded in death by her husband Ernest E. in 2005; her parents, Stanley and Estella; brothers Stanley and Eugene; sisters Sister Mary Paschal (Aloisia) Baxa and Irene Barth; son-in-law Ronald K. Schmitz. She will forever be remembered by sons Richard Blecha and wife Donna of Salina, Kansas, and David Blecha and wife Retha of Munden, Kansas; daughters Sister Therese (Eloise Ann) Blecha and Cathie Switzer and husband Dick of Concordia, Kansas; Marjorie Schmitz and Marie Chmidling of Topeka, Kansas; 13 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, 3 great great grandchildren; brother-in-law Frank Barth of Belleville, Kansas; other relatives and a community of friends. Funeral services were held Friday, November 4. 2011 at St. George Catholic Church, Munden, Kansas with Father Barry Brinkman officiating. Burial was in St. George Cemetery rural Munden. Memorials may be made to Meadowlark Hospice or St. George Cemetery Fund. Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home, Belleville, Kansas was entrusted with these arrangements.