Eleanor Ermina (Courter) Switzer

Eleanor Ermina (Courter) Switzer

Eleanor Ermina (Courter) Switzer, age 97, of Salina, KS , died Tuesday afternoon, September 6, 2016 at Kenwood View Nursing Home in  Salina, Kansas.  Eleanor was born July 22, 1919 in Osborne, Kansas, the daughter of a Methodist minister, Forrest Leslie  Courter and Anna Rhea Tolin. She graduated from Munden High School in 1937.  Eleanor went to Kansas Wesleyan University and graduated in 1941 with a degree in English. After college graduation she taught high school English in Winona, Kansas.  She met the love of her life, Wayne Leroy Switzer, during high school in Lovewell. The couple married on  June 24, 1942 in Munden, Kansas while Wayne was on leave from the Army.  Son's Kenneth Wayne and Charles Leslie were born in 1943 and 1948 respectively. After WW2, they lived briefly in Texas, and then moved to Concordia to open Switzer Studio.  Eleanor helped Wayne with the photography business - initially above the J. C. Penney store on 6th street, and then in their home at 8th and Cedar in 1955.  Eleanor retouched most of the black and white negatives and added oil color to many portrait pictures.

Throughout her life she was actively involved in the United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women. Eleanor loved art and music.  She played the piano, violin, organ and sang in several choirs. Eleanor loved sports - and enjoyed following them. She enjoyed traveling and the family went to many states camping most of the time.  Throughout her life, Eleanor  maintained close  ties with her extended family and friends, first with letters, and then with email and FaceBook. She said she was an "Armchair Traveler" with her computer.   Eleanor is survived by her sons Ken (Janet) and Charles in addition to her beloved four grandchildren Alan(Carrie), Amy(Brian), Sam, and Leann(Nick), and five great-grandchildren Ashley, Tobey, Kaelina, Marin, and Landon as well as numerous  nieces and nephews. Eleanor was preceded in death by her parents, Forrest and Anna Courter, her husband Wayne Switzer, her sister Frances Wherry,  brothers Leslie Courter, Richard Courter and John Courter.

Visitation will be Sunday, September 11, 2016 from 2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with family receiving friends from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at Nutter Mortuary. A funeral service will be held at 11 am on Monday, September 12th at the First United Methodist Church in Salina. A second funeral service will be held  at 3:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Concordia. Burial in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Memorials:    First United Methodist Church – Salina, Kansas

First United Methodist Church – Concordia, Kansas

Kenwood View Nursing Home – Salina, Kansas

Nutter Mortuary in charge of arrangements. Online condolences – please visit nuttermortuary@yahoo.com.