NELLIE HENNING

NELLIE EATON HENNING Nellie Eaton Henning of Peoria, Arizona, a 50 year resident of Twin Falls, Idaho, died on August 28, at the age of 95. Nellie was the last of her generation on either side of the Eaton/Henning family. Nellie was born in Franklin, Nebraska on December 10th, 1916, the youngest child of Joseph Eaton and Laura (Kelso) Eaton. She was much loved, and probably spoiled, by her parents and older siblings, John Eaton, Ruth Eaton Bush, Nancy Eaton Remaley and Joseph L. (Doady) Eaton, as well as four special nephews, Melvin and Eugene (Bill) Eaton and Bob and Dean Bush, who were almost like kid-brothers to her. She grew up on the family farm outside Franklin graduated from Franklin High School and taught in the rural schools of Franklin County until her fateful meeting with Harm Hening, a native of Rost Township in Minn., who had somehow wound up in Franklin operating a service station with his older brother, Jack. It was at this station that Nellie literally fell (she always claimed) out of the car and in the arms of Harm. After, that everything changed quickly for Nellie as Harmm in a few short years turned her into a Henning, a Lutheran, a mother (Sherryl, in 1940) and an Idahoan in 1942. As the Eaton family farm slowly blew off into Kansas and Missouri during dust bowl days of the ‘30s, all of the Eatons, save John and Delores and their family, migrated to Twin Falls, so Harm and Nellie decided to follow, a decision for which their children are eternally grateful. In Twin Falls, Nellie devoted herself to being a wife and mother (Ted in ’44 and John in ’50). Over the next 20+ years, Harm and Nellie were selflessly devoted to raising their three nearly normal kids, with much assistance from Memorial Lutheran School and Immanuel Lutheran Church, the other passions, besides family, in their lives. In the ‘60s, with all the kids in school, Nellie began to work outside the home, first as the church secretary at Immanuel Lutheran, and then, at the urging of Isabel Ohlaug, a family friend, at the Twin Falls Bank and Trust, where Nellie worked in various capacities from 1964 until her retirement in 1984. Harm and Nellie moved to Mesa, Arizona in 1991, Harm died the following year, and Nellie has lived ever since in Mesa, Glendale, or Peoria. Throughout all the years, her family and her church were the cornerstones of Nellie’s life. Nellie was preceded in death by her parents, all her brothers and sisters, and her beloved nephew, Melvin (Vera) Eaton. She is survived by three heartbroken kids, Sherryl(Tom) Valentine of Sedona, Arizona, Ted (Donna) Henning, of Goodyear, Arizona, and John (Jill) Henning of Tigard, Oregon, as well as two Grandsons, Martin and Mark Kniep and five great-grandchildren. She is also survived by myriad nephews and nieces who will have many fond memories of Aunt Nellie and will long remember the part she played in their lives. A memorial service for Nellie will be held at Good Shepherd on September 6th, with a graveside service to be held in Twin Falls at a later date.