Eleanor Belle Michael

Eleanor Belle Michael (nee Burgan) 87, was born on April 11, 1936 and made her transition on August 14, 2023.

She grew up in rural Madrid on a small farm and always loved farm animals. She attended a one room grade school where she enjoyed sports especially baseball where she was nicknamed “Casey”. She went on to Madrid High School where she was an actress and a valedictorian. While in high school, she met the love of her life, Franklin Michael, and they were married soon after graduation. She worked as a bookkeeper until becoming the loving mother of two sons. Eleanor and Franklin went on to purchase a small acreage which she managed while Franklin worked at Armstrong Tire Co. They raised chickens and swine and later Pomeranian dogs. She loved to play piano, sketch and write. She had short stories and artwork widely published in small press and won awards for her poetry.

She is survived by her husband, Franklin Michael, her two sons Matthew and David (Lisa Ladd) Michael.

Private family services will be held.

Time Well Spent

Small blue flowers bloom along the tall green stems of plants with dandelion-type base leaves that grow beside Iowa back roads.

Blue is my color, so we tried to transplant a few from where the County Mower cut them down into the back flower garden.

After years, several took root and a few came up from seed. These now flourish by the feeder birds frequent outside my window.

Yesterday I saw a hummingbird feeding from the blue blossoms. Today a pair of goldfinches fed from seeds up and down the stems.

We agree, it was worth the effort.

By: Eleanor Michael
Published in SMILE
Summer 2013

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