A Celebration of Life service for Eleanor V. Schember will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at Salem Lutheran Church, Albert Lea. The Reverend Mark Niethammer will officiate. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church.

Eleanor passed away on May 16, 2015 at Hidden Creek Estates, Albert Lea. She was 87 years old.

Eleanor V. (Fischer) Schember was born on February 19, 1928 to Jacob and Rose (Nagel) Fischer on the Standing Rock Reservation in McLaughlin, SD. Eleanor was baptized and confirmed into the Christian faith. The family moved to the New Richland area, where she graduated high school.

Eleanor married Arnold J. Schember on November 28, 1947 in New Richland. To this union, two children were born: Norell and Danny. Eleanor worked at Streaters as a key punch operator. She worked there until her retirement in 1993, when Streaters awarded her with a grandfather clock.

Eleanor was an active and faithful member of Salem Lutheran Church. She was the original director of the Cherub Choir, was a Sunday school teacher, a part of Luther League, a counselor at bible camp, was on the church council, and sang in the church choir. She was also a god parent to three special people: Troy Hall, Skipper Willete, and Kim Luhring. Eleanor also volunteered at St. John’s Lutheran Home, the Red Cross, and was on the board for Spire, Youth for Christ. In her free time, Eleanor enjoyed going to rummage sales, looking for the best bargains. She loved to collect angels. As she downsized her home, she donated her entire angel collection to Youth for Christ.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Arnold; two sisters and four brothers; and a son in-law, Dean Wood.

Eleanor is survived by her daughter, Norell (James) Durfee, of Minnesota Lake, and their family: Amy Anne (Brian) Thomas and their children, Eva, Gabriel, and Levi; Heidi (Christopher) Wood-Olson and their children, Rose and Ryder; Shelby Durfee and Bryce Durfee; a son, Danny (Valerie) Schember, of Ellendale and their family: Summer (Wayne) Schultz and their children, Cody, Arianna, Elijah, and namesake, Ava Eleanor; and Brian Schember; a sister, Ruth Fischer of Ellendale; special friends, Anne Hermanson-Smith and Randy Sorenson; as well as many other loving nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Salem Lutheran Church, Youth Fund.

The family would like to thank the staff at Hidden Creek Estates, and the Mayo Clinic Health Systems, Hospice staff for their care and compassion shown towards Eleanor.