Eleanor Koski

Eleanor Charlotte Koski (nee Saunders), was born April 22, 1914 in Wheaton, MN to Allan and Alta Saunders. She passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 14, 2009, surrounded by family. Eleanor moved from Minnesota to Waukegan as a teenager. On January 4, 1936, she married Leo Koski and together they had three children. They resided in Winthrop Harbor until moving to Florida in 1994. She was active in the school PTA and could always be seen chaperoning the teen dances and transporting the boys to and from sports events. She was instrumental in the organization of the Winthrop Harbor Fire Auxiliary and raising money for equipment was one of her favorite pastimes. She loved working in her yard planting and grooming her flowers. Family was very important to her and spending time with any and all of them was something she looked forward to and always enjoyed. Eleanor enjoyed being a homemaker while her children were young. Once they all moved out she worked at the Lake County Courthouse in the Map Department until her retirement. Leo and Eleanor loved to travel and made trips all over the country in their motor home, eventually retiring to Osprey, FL. She was a Charter member of the Winthrop Harbor Fire Auxiliary, Charter member of the American Legion Auxiliary, a member of the Illinois Dunesland Garden Club and Winthrop Harbor Lioness Club. She held various offices in each of these organizations, sometimes holding positions multiple times. In 1978 Eleanor was presented with the Outstanding Citizen Award by the Village of Winthrop Harbor. Survivors inlude three children, Patricia (Jerry) Taylor of Venice FL, William Koski, Sr (Elizabeth) of Kenosha WI and Jean (Richard) Studebaker of Winthrop Harbor IL; seven grandchildren, Debbie (Gary) Glazebrook of Somerset, KY, Tracie (Phil) Coulter of Huffman TX, Randi Munsell of Venice FL, Walt Koski of Broomfield CO, William Koski Jr. and Darci (Greg) Green of Winthrop Harbor IL and Chris (Tammy) Studebaker of North Aurora IL; 13 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Leo; her parents; seven brothers; two sisters; and a number of nieces and nephews. A funeral service will be held on Monday, July 20, 2009 at 12:00 p.m. at Congdon Funeral Home 3012 Sheridan Road, Zion, IL with Pastor Ken Langley of Christ Community Church officiating. Interment will follow at Mt Olivet Memorial Park, Zion. Visitation will be from 5pm to 8pm on Sunday, July 19, 2009 at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to Oak Park School for Mentally and Physically Handicapped Children, 7285 Proctor Road Sarasota, FL 34241 or the Camp Zion Advance Fund c/o Christ Community Church.