Eleanor Burbach

HARTINGTON — Eleanor Burbach, 103, Hartington, died Aug. 12, 2018, at the Avera Majestic Bluffs Hospice House, Yankton, S.D. Visitation and a Vigil service were Aug. 16 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Hartington. Visitation continued Friday, one hour prior to services. Mass of Christian Burial was Aug. 17 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Hartington, with the Rev. Owen Korte officiating. Burial was at St. Michael’s Cemetery, Hartington. Pallbearers were Pat Steffen, Pat Burbach, Bob Burbach, Bryan Larsen, Mark Larsen, and Kelly Isom. Arrangements were under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home in Hartington. Eleanor Josephine Burbach was born Jan. 4, 1915, in Fordyce, to Herman and Christine (Schroeder) Steffen. She attended grade school in Constance and graduated from Holy Trinity High School, Hartington, in 1933. Eleanor attended Wayne Teachers College. She taught school for 43 years – teaching from 1934-1935 at Tip Top School; 10 years at Constance, from 1936-1946; five years at Laurel, from 1946-1950; and 28 years at Holy Trinity, Hartington. Eleanor married Peter Mathias Burbach July 3, 1950, in Constance. She received her bachelor’s degree from Yankton College in 1973. Eleanor retired from teaching in 1986. She volunteered at Holy Trinity Elementary from 1989-2009, and then moved to Majestic Bluffs, Yankton, S.D., in 2009. Eleanor was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, and an original member of the Holy Trinity Perpetual Adoration until 2009, Christian Mothers, Legion of Mary, Catholic Daughters of America, the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, and Delta Kappa Gamma. Eleanor also volunteered at the Hartington nursing home. Eleanor is survived by her daughter, Bonita and husband, Bill Larsen, Plano, Texas; son, Ron and wife, Janet Burbach, Hartington; three grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and one sister, Elizabeth Walton, Almeda, Calif. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Peter, in 2007; infant son, Keith Burbach; daughter, Rebecca Burbach; granddaughter, Janell Burbach; five brothers Ike, Walter, Gregory, Robert and Andrew Steffen; and five sisters, Rosalia Lammers, Mary Vanderheiden, Bernadette Bockholt, Ramona Meuret and Betty Bockholt. In Lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Holy Trinity Grade School or for Masses.