Eleanor Kothe Forney, born January 26, 1935, in St. Joseph, Missouri, passed away peacefully at home with her husband John by her side after a battle with leukemia.
She was the daughter of Helen Patton Kothe Jameson and Arthur B. Kothe, and spent her early years in Maryville and Cameron, Missouri, later graduating from Central High School in St. Joseph. Eleanor pursued her love of science at St. Joseph Junior College and the University of Kansas, where she earned a BA in bacteriology. She completed her medical technology training at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis.
On June 1, 1957, she married John Asher Forney, whom she met in a bacteriology lab class at KU, an origin fitting for a partnership marked by shared curiosity, mutual respect, and a love of learning. Together they built a life rooted in family, faith, and service, raising four children of whom she was deeply proud.
Eleanor’s life was marked by generous involvement in her community. She served as an ordained deacon at Wellshire Presbyterian Church, chaired women’s retreats, led Girl Scout troops for a decade, volunteered at the Denver Art Museum, and held leadership roles including president of PEO Chapter GK, the Les Cygnettes, and the Colorado Auxiliary to the Colorado Dental Society.
She found joy in creating a welcoming home, cooking, sewing, needlework, and entertaining. An avid reader and lifelong learner, she traveled to all 50 U.S. states and more than 30 countries, always eager to discover new people and ideas. Her quiet faith was most clearly expressed through her service to others.
Eleanor is survived by her husband of 69 years, John Asher Forney; her siblings Pat Kerns (Ronnie) of Savannah, MO and William L. Kothe (Donna) of King City, MO; her children, Ann Forney, Susan Noll (Bill), David Forney (Liz), and Barbara Forney; her ten grandchildren, Liz Klein, Mary Hazuka, John Hazuka, Barbara Sivak, Renee Noll, Sean Noll, Sam Forney, Ellie Forney, Connor Fredericks, and Megan Fredericks; and one great-grandchild, William Slvak. She was preceded in death by Sarah Carolyn Noll.
