Eleanor C. Carlson of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, peacefully passed away on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Ava's Hospice House with family by her bedside.

Eleanor – Wife, Mother, Step-Mother, Grandmother, and Great-Grandmother – lived a remarkable 101 years, 9 months, and 7 days. A life defined by her Faith, quiet strength, deep kindness, and enduring love for her family and friends.

Until her last moments on earth, she carried herself with Grace, never complaining or speaking an unkind word. She witnessed more than a century of change and carried her wisdom with humility and dignity. Her gentle spirit and warm smile for everyone were a testament to the care and compassion she showed.

Elena Carolyn Daunis was born on June 1, 1924, to Izidorius and Ursula (Ukanis) Daunis in Auburn, Maine. Her parents were immigrants from Lithuania, and Lithuanian was her first language; she was also fluent in French.  Because her first language was not English, she had a thick accent. On her first day of Kindergarten, her teacher struggled to understand her name, so they assigned her the name Elinor. With this name, she graduated from Edward Little High School in 1942.

After furthering her education at Bliss Business College, she worked at the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation in D.C. until 1947. There, she helped coordinate assistance to people in nations ravaged by World War II. This experience, along with her immigrant parents' experiences, grew into a curiosity about the world and a lifelong love of travel.  When her assignment ended, she moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, to be near the ocean and her sister Monica.  She then relocated to San Francisco and continued her career as the assistant to the President of Standard Oil of California, working in the travel department.

While on a ski trip in Lake Tahoe, Eleanor met someone so special that her path changed. She never imagined living far from the ocean, but meeting Henry Carlson Jr. inspired her to begin a new chapter away from the ocean. In December 1957, Eleanor and Henry married in a small service in San Francisco and then made their home in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. There and near Brandon, she kept a beautiful home and raised their children, Henry III "Chip" and Kimberly, along with Henry's daughters, Linda and Christie, from his first marriage.

Eleanor loved to travel, and it was a significant part of her life. On her first big trip was in 1951 with a friend, She traveled for 4 months in Europe.They started in Scandinavia and travelled through 15 countries, ending in Spain, before the long ship ride back home. She wrote of seeing the ravages of war and meeting people who had lived through it. Her travels with Henry included many trips around the globe. They visited China, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, South Africa, Egypt, and Antarctica. They also cruised the Amazon. They traveled by plane, train, and ship. Cruising was one of her favorites, and she often said she could live on a cruise ship. Two of her most meaningful trips were to Lithuania after its independence in the early 1990s, when she and her sister Monica met many relatives and saw where their mother and father were born.

Eleanor loved living in Sioux Falls and became active in many organizations. She was involved with the Civic Fine Arts; she served on the Sioux River Greenway Project in 1975, contributing to the development of the beautiful riverfront parks now enjoyed by so many in the city. As a long-time board member of Volunteers of America, she helped them positively impact the lives of families and individuals in need. She also supported Children's Care Hospital, now Lifescape, helping to expand resources and services for children with special needs. Through her efforts, Eleanor made a meaningful difference in her community.  She was a long-time member of Calvary Cathedral, Minnehaha Country Club, St Elizabeth's guild, and Chapter 1 PEO.

She loved to do crossword puzzles, and was quite good even after her eyesight declined with the help of a scribe. She enjoyed entertaining at her homes and planning trips, including several family reunion trips to Maine and the Black Hills, summer and ski trips to Colorado, trips to Palm Springs with family, and an amazing 60th wedding anniversary cruise with 23 family members, ages 3-93.

Eleanor is survived by her son, Henry "Chip" (Jennifer) Carlson of Sioux Falls; her daughter, Kim Carlson of Littleton, CO; her stepdaughter, Linda Brooks of Rockwall, TX; nine grandchildren, Anna (Dane) Yde, Thomas (Jess) Carlson, Lizzy (Jason) Hansen, Brittany Brooks, Traci (Micah Mohler) Brooks, Michael (Emily) Risty, Shelby (Joel) Pogatchnik, Gretchen Ela, and Emmett Ela; and 15 great-grandchildren.

Eleanor was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Carlson Jr.; her sisters, Sophia Daunis and Monica Mary Colwell; her brother, Edward Daunis; and her stepdaughter, Christie Risty, and her grandson, Todd Risty.

A visitation will be held from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at Miller Funeral Home – downtown, 507 S. Main Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57104. A funeral service will be held to celebrate Eleanor's life at 10:00 AM on Monday, March 16, 2026, at Calvary Episcopal Cathedral located at 500 S. Main Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57104. For those unable to attend, the service will be livestreamed here: youtube.com/@calvarycathedral

Eleanor will be laid to rest next to her late husband, Henry Carlson, Jr., at Woodlawn Cemetery, Sioux Falls, SD.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Volunteers of America, Lifescape, or the Calvary Cathedral fund at SFACF.