Eleanor Murken, age 99, of Canby, Minnesota passed on Monday, September 16, 2019 at the Sylvan Courting Nursing Home in Canby, MN. Funeral Services will be at 10:00 a.m. at Crossroads Lutheran Congregation, Dawson, MN. Burial will be at St. Stephen’s Cemetery, Canby, MN. Visitation will be held 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. with a 7:00 p.m. Prayer Service on Thursday, September 19, 2019 at the Houseman Funeral Home in Canby.
Eva Eleanor Murken was born to John Vinton and Wilkie (Osborn) Youll on April 21, 1920 in Pierson, Woodburry County, Iowa. She was baptized at the Pierson Methodist Church by Rev. Spaar on June 4, 1920. She attended Pierson High School through the 11th grade and then moved to Cherokee, Iowa with her family where she graduated with normal training. She attended Wayne State Teachers College and taught her first year in a country school at Hartington, Nebraska. She also taught at the Marcy Center in Ogden, Iowa. She then taught at the Tiegen School in Boone, Iowa where she met a local farmer, Herbert Murken, her future husband. They were married on January 20, 1941 at St. Paul’s Lutheran parsonage in Boone, Iowa. In 1947 they adopted their son, Edmund. In 1951 they moved to their farm north of Canby and adopted their daughter, Annette, in 1954. During those years, Eleanor and Herb raised many feeder cattle and pigs for local farmers. They produced corn, soybeans and alfalfa for their livestock and local sales. Many of their cattle and pigs were entered in, placed and won ribbons at the Yellow Medicine County Fair. While continuing to be an active farm wife, she enjoyed participating in many local organizations. She served as President of the Yellow Medicine County CowBelles Organization for several years. She worked in the fair office for many years during the Yellow Medicine County Fair helping with the fair entries, ribbons and prizes. Eleanor and Herb volunteered with the Meals on Wheels program, driving to Madison to pick up the meals and delivering to families in the Canby area. She also served as the Treasurer and Bookkeeper for Hammer Township for almost 20 years. She was also very active in her church serving as Treasurer and Bookkeeper of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church for six years, Ladies Aid President for several years and was a Sunday School teacher for many years. When time permitted, Eleanor and Herb enjoyed their travel trailer, traveling across the United States with local friends and meeting new friends along the way. They especially enjoyed their three-week trek across the historic Oregon Trail. They also enjoyed traveling to Canada, England and Scotland. Eleanor and Herb retired from their farm life and moved into their home in Canby in 1993. Throughout her farm life and retirement Eleanor enjoyed having her grandchildren, nieces and nephews, as well as local children visit and help on the farm during their summer vacations.
She is survived by her son, Edmund (Kathy) Murken; three grandchildren: Michael (Denise) Murken, Kristine (Wade) DePestal and Nathaniel (Kylie) Murken; 12 great-grandchildren: Cody, Elizabeth and Leslie Murken, twins: Haley and Kaley, Ashley and Khloe Murken, and Kyla and Lauri Hopp, Jordan, Regan and Ellison DePestel; her daughter, Annette (Don) Munoz; four step-grandchildren, four step-great-grandchildren and one step-great-great-grandchild; two sister-in-law: Lorna Youll; special cousins, Byron and Beverly Blackburn; many nieces and nephews, special friends, Roger and Connie Hacker AND Sheila Isaacs; and many more friends and neighbors too numerous to list.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; siblings: Thelma Wahl, Rollo Youll, Ralph Youll, still born sister, Ruth Pohl, Gladys Sparks, George Youll and Jill Youll; sister-in-law, Thelma Youll and her grandson, Christopher Murken.
Any memorials are requested to be directed to the Crossroads Lutheran Congregation of Dawson or any organization of your choice.
