Eleanor Holm

Obituary 1-888-579-7953 Code: 2002089P Eleanor Johanna C. Holm, 101 years old, of Morehead City, died on October 2, 2018 at Annie Penn Hospital in Reidsville, N.C., near the nursing home to which she had been evacuated to escape Hurricane Florence. Born on July 11, 1917 in New London, Connecticut, Eleanor was the second of Ada and Otto Holms three children. The early years were delightful times with her younger sister and older brother on the New England coast, swimming, ice skating, and going to school in a two-room schoolhouse. She spoke about her brothers patience in spending an entire day towing her around on Long Island Sound, teaching her to water ski- up briefly then down and back up again- but it really said more about her tenacity. During the Great Depression, the family moved to Jamaica, New York. She found work in New York City as a secretary, and always loved the City. Horseback riding in Central Park was a highlight of the years. In her youth, Eleanor was ballroom dance instructor in New York City for the Arthur Murray dance studio on Fifth Avenue. She was also an accomplished artist. Her paintings, often large canvases in oil or watercolor, were of natural scenes from her travels, with large and boldly colored tropical birds or green and inviting woodlands. Eleanor loved to travel for both work and pleasure. Fluent in Swedish and Spanish, highly capable and adventurous, she worked overseas as an executive secretary in Columbia, Venezuela and North Africa. She also traveled widely including Cuba and family in Sweden, She also worked and lived along the East Coast of the U.S. including New York City, Miami, Saint Augustine, Key West, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale Fl., Savannah GA, and Columbia SC. More recently, she moved to Morehead City and Newport NC to be with her sister. When asked near the end of her life, what her favorite job had been, she straightened in her wheelchair and responded, " Oh My that would have to be when I was a purserette on the cruise ships from New York to B.A." (Buenos Aires, Argentina.) A voracious reader, student of art and history and still working difficult cross-word puzzles in her late 90s, her vocabulary, even as a centurian, was impressive. Tall, striking and impeccably stylish, with delightful stories of far off travels and times of her youthshe always brought the spark to a party. Her faith in God often spilled out in her appreciation of his wonderful creation and most importantly the people he placed around her. She was in her own words, "an appreciator." Eleanor is preceded in death by her parents, Ada and Otto Holm and brother Arnold Holm. She is survived by her sister Doris Nelson, niece Diana Nelson Solie and her husband Daniel Solie, and grandnephew Eric Nelson Solie. We especially thank those that cared for her near the end of her life, including the staff of In Touch Home Care, Carteret House Assisted Living and Croatan Ridge Nursing Home. A small service will be held at Shepherd of the Sea Lutheran Church, Atlantic Beach Services You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or by planting a memorial tree in the memory of Eleanor Holm