Eleanor May Entenman

Eleanor May Entenman passed away on October 5, 2014 in Meridian, Idaho at age 94. This special lady loved life and filled it with joy, compassion, charm, adventure, generosity, humor, grace and dignity right up to the last day of her life. She always said she had a full life without any regrets so we celebrate her life. Eleanor was born in Middleport, New York on January 4, 1920 to Joseph and Mary Condefer. She was very proud of her polish heritage as her dad, Joseph Condefer was just 18 years of age when he immigrated to the US from Poland via Ellis Island. He taught himself to read and write, secured a good job and met his wife, Mary, who was first generation Polish. Years later, Eleanor donated funds to Ellis Island to have her father’s name engraved on the immigrant wall. A few years later she visited Ellis Island with her daughter, Mary-Ann and stood next to his name on the wall for a very proud photo. When Eleanor was a small child her father was offered a job in Berkeley, CA so the family, including older brother, Jack, took the train from New York to Berkeley. After growing up and graduating from Presentation Academy in Berkeley she attended Harms School of Business and met her future husband, Lynn Entenman. After business school he went to work at the Veterans Home and she continued to live in Berkeley working her way up from the mailroom to executive secretary to the Vice President of State Farm Insurance. Lynn enlisted in the army in 1941 and served in WWII. She was very active supporting the troops by writing letters and sending care packages throughout the war. Eleanor and Lynn married in 1946 and moved to the Veterans Home where he worked in the Accounting Department until retirement and she worked as executive secretary for Col. G. L. Evans, adjutant to then Commander, Col. Holderman for several years. They raised three children and one foster child while living at the Veterans Home. The kids all went to Yountville School and Napa schools where she was a very active parent. She was also a member of various civic clubs in Yountville and a very active member of St. Joan of Arc Church. After her husband passed away in 1977 Eleanor moved to Oakville and lived in the old schoolhouse where she acquired the name “Polish Princess of Oakville”. She decided to go back to work after raising her family and worked for Napa State Hospital for 20 years. After retirement she found enjoyment, fulfillment and, as a side benefit, new friendships by devoting 22 years of full-time volunteering for such organizations as: the California Highway Patrol, Napa State Hospital, Carmelite Gift Shop, Napa County Adult Probation, McPherson Elementary School Tutoring Program, The Table, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, Rental Assistance, Napa Unified School District, COPIA, St. Joan of Arc, Kaiser Clinic and most recently at the Veterans Home Volunteer Office. Over the years she has been awarded countless volunteer awards including 1999 Volunteer of the Year as recognized by the Napa Volunteer Center, 2002 Senior Volunteer of the Year nominated by the California Highway Patrol, 2005 Veterans Home Volunteer of the Year and 2007 Volunteer of the Year nominated by the Napa County Adult Probation Department. Her work ethic and personality have always been her strong traits and she has developed so many friends along the way due to her social nature. Everyone knew and loved Eleanor for her lively and humorous personality and generosity of time, talent and spirit! She was so outgoing and friendly to everyone. Eleanor was always ready for a party or any social event and added a sparkle to any group. She had a great sense of humor and loved doing crossword puzzles to “keep her mind active”. She loved to travel with family or friends and has visited such places as Greece, Italy, Switzerland, the Caribbean, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Spain, Portugal and a good portion of the United States (including several times to Hawaii). Eleanor lived at Rancho de Napa since 2004 but moved in September, 2012 to Boise, Idaho to live closer to the majority of her family. She spent most of her life living and loving Napa Valley and missed all of her friends and the beautiful environment that she treasured. She was a testament to good old Napa Valley wine and an unofficial ambassador wherever she has traveled telling everyone about the quality of life in Napa County. When she moved into her assisted living apartment in Idaho she found that her family had moved special pieces of furniture, pictures, and furnishings from her Yountville house and decorated it to make her feel right at home. She really enjoyed her new home and the ability to see a family member almost every day. She was named Resident of the Month for February 2013 after only being a resident for six months. Residents voted unanimously to award her the winner of the Halloween costume contest when she dressed as the Polish Princess complete with a tiara. She quickly became a favorite and loved by her facility and hospice caregivers for her humor, thoughtfulness and gratitude. They either called her Princess or Beautiful due to her insistence on always dressing in beautiful coordinated outfits and wearing her 3-strand pearls and always a matching scarf tied just so around her neck. She would often dress in pink as this was her favorite color – reflected in her decorating style wherever she lived. Eleanor was preceded in death by husband, Lynn Entenman; foster daughter, Sue McNutt; father and mother, Joseph and Mary Condefer; brother and sister-in-law, Jack and Ramona Condefer. She is survived by her three children: son James Entenman (Mary) of Emmett, ID; daughter Mary-Ann Compton (Tom) of Boise, ID and daughter Joanne Stainberg (Dean) of Redding, CA. She is also survived by her seven grandchildren: Tessa Doyle (Mike) of Meridian, ID: Travis Lemke of Missoula, MT: Thomas Entenman of Olympia, WA; Angie Baker (Matt) of Meridian, ID; Nicole Cadieux (Israel) of Lakeland, FL; Justin Stainberg (Kaitlyn) in the US Army and Chris Stainberg of Mountain Home, ID. Eleanor is also survived by great-grandchildren: Cayden, Brogan and Tydan Doyle; Aiden Cadieux; Cole Baker and Evelynn Stainberg. Eleanor developed a special friendship with the Carmelite Fathers since her days living down the road from the Carmelite Monastery in Oakville. She loved volunteering for fund-raising activities for the Monastery and meeting those involved with the church and the Carmelite Order in other locations as well. She considered Fr. Bernard Perkins, Fr. James Geoghegan and Fr. John Melka very special friends who have kept in touch with her on an on-going basis and continued after her move to Boise. She also had some very wonderful friends that we know she would like mentioned as they have been an important part of her life. Her longtime and dearest friends: Elena Santiago, Mary Nielsen, Norma Gray and Lenore Land (traveling companion); her many friends from Rancho de Napa including: Nancy and Karl Nittka, Phyllis Brace, Ilene Tamburelli (deceased); helpful neighbors: Dave Means and Jackie Thomas; and friends from the Veterans Home: Micki Mills, Susan Heims, Gwen Robinson, Dale Bell, Barbara Meraz and Richard Weigam (deceased). She also wanted to mention friends: Tim and Peggy Reinhold, Larry and Neta Brown, and Robb Lemke who have faithfully kept her in their prayers and thoughts over the years. The family would also like to extend their thanks and gratitude to the staffs of Encompass Hospice and The Meadows Assisted Living at Meadow Lake Village. We will miss you so much but you have left us with wonderful memories, unconditional love and an outstanding example of how to live life to the fullest without regrets. You will live on in our hearts and never far from our thoughts. Your extraordinary legacy will exist in the memories of those you loved and those who have loved you. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in her name to: Carmelite Fathers, Mt. St. Joseph, PO Box 3420, San Jose, CA 95156. A funeral mass will be held at 10:30 am, Monday, October 13, 2014 at St. Joan of Arc Church, Yountville with reception to follow at the Parish Hall. Those attending may choose to wear a bit of pink as a celebration symbol of her joy-filled life. Interment services will be held at Tulocay Cemetery.

Eleanor May Entenman

October 5, 2014

Navigation

Contact Us

Eleanor May Entenman

October 5, 2014

Obituary Notification

Navigation

Contact Us