Eleanor Kay George Chadwick passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 18 after a valiant and long struggle with diabetes and cancer. She was 65.

Her tenaciousness, endurance and strong will to survive has been painful to watch, yet a privilege to aid and witness. Her strength gives testimony to the gift that life is and her strong belief in God. To her brother and sister, Deanna and Ted George, who have cared for her daily for several years, to Swanee, Dr. Hugh Batty and the staff at Westview Health Care Center, the family's thank you is a pale expression of the gratitude felt by all.

Ellie was born in Sheridan, Wyoming on February 24, 1939, to Bessie and Dan George. The eldest of four children, she was raised in Sheridan and graduated from Sheridan High School in 1957. She attended Cotty College in Nevada, Missouri and graduated from the University of Oregon Dental School in 1962 and became a dental hygienist.

It was in Oregon she met and married Morris J. Freestone and had two children, Jay Daniel--who died at birth in 1960--and Erik Daniel born in 1964.

Ellie worked in the dental hygiene field for many years in Oregon and Colorado and when Sheridan College initiated their Dental Hygiene program in 1971, Ellie joined on as a lead instructor.

In 1972, she married Buddy Dean Wood of Colorado.

When severe tendonitis in her hand ended her hygiene career, she and her sister, Deanna became business partners and were owner-operators of Bessie's in 1977, a store founded by their mother in 1964. They moved in 1985 and became owners of Dan's Western Wear, the store established by their father in 1919.

Ellie loved people and was involved in many organizations and causes that brought people together. She began a life-long involvement with Jobs Daughter's Bethal No. 5 while in high school. In her adult life, she began a life-long commitment to Eastern Star and Daughters of the Nile. She held many noteworthy positions within these organizations to include, Past Matron of the Order of Eastern Star chapter No. 51 and many positions within Daughters of Nile Sahida Temple No. 86. She was active in Newcomers Club, Sheridan Fine Arts Club where she was president in 1982, Social Order of Beauceant, Akcita Win. The American Dental Association, Drums Along the Big Horns, and Womens Aglow to name a few. She volunteered to help with many theatrical productions with Sheridan High School and the Civic Theatre Guild. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church.

Ellie had a wonderful sense of humor and was always willing to partake in practical jokes, see a good movie or just socialize. She had passion for skiing. On constant, radiating from Eleanor's true spiritual essence, was the genuine compassion she had for others. No matter how much physical or emotional pain she was enduring, she quickly turned any conversation away from herself to the genuine concern for others' well-being; always ending with "Everything will be okay - believe me" She will be greatly missed.

Eleanor is preceded in death by her husband, Jerry Chadwick and her parents, Bessie and Dan George.

Eleanor has one surviving son, Erik Freestone and his wife, Melissa, with her three grandchildren, Kelly (age8), Jennifer (age 2) and William (age 4 months). She is also survived by six step-children and fifteen step-grandchildren, two sisters, and a brother: Deanna and her husband, Terrance Poland, Elaine Nalee and her husband Jean-Claude Boslo, and brother, Ted George.

Viewing will be 2pm - 6pm, Sunday, May 23 at Champion Ferries Funeral Home. Services will be held at 2pm on Monday at the First Presbyterian Churck with Doug Melius officiating. Interment will be in Sheridan Municipal Cemetery, Masonic #43 section.

Memorials may benefit Eastern Star ESTARL Fund, in care of Karen Green at First Interstate Bank, P.O. Box 2007, Sheridan WY 82801.

The Sheridan Press - May 22, 2004.