Eleanor Kondo Ream

Eleanor Setsuko Kondo Ream, our beloved Auntie El, adopted mother and grandmother, and treasured friend passed peacefully surrounded by family and friends on July 8, 2021 in Salt Lake City. She was born in Kapaa, Kauai, Hawaii on Dec. 12, 1931 to George Mitsugi Kondo and Ruth Yaeno Kanekuni and lived a full and rich life of 89 years.

She is survived by her sisters, Gladys Takasaki (Fred), Lillian Kamimura, Miriam Fujishige (Mel), Joan Bunderson (Floyd), Elizabeth Wood (Dean), Denice Whaley (Shelby), many nieces and nephews, and many dear friends and neighbors whom she considered family.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Winston Dale Ream, her parents, brothers David and George Junior, and sister Nancy Shimonishi.

Eleanor was influenced by both the Japanese and Hawaiian cultures. Her parents, George and Ruth Kondo, treasured their Japanese heritage and embraced the beautiful Hawaiian lifestyle. She was the second child of seven and fortunate to be one of five girls. Her mother delighted in dressing her daughters in custom made clothing and matching muumuus. The sisters learned from their mother to cook and make crafts. Eleanor especially embraced this training, and it became an important part of her life.

Eleanor learned to work hard by helping in the family saimin shop and soda water factory. She was always known as the brave one of the family. She was very social and a loyal friend. She completed her early school years in Kapaa, Kauai and was always faithful to her alma mater, Kapaa High School. She returned to almost every high school reunion and helped plan many of them. She was always grateful to her parents for giving her and all her siblings a college education. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Home Economics from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah and a Master of Arts degree in Home Economics from Oregon State University in Corvallis. Her education served her well as she taught junior high and high school home economics. She went on to teach at BYU, Utah State University, BYU-Hawaii, and at adult education schools in Utah and California.

Eleanor met her husband Winston Dale Ream at BYU, and they fell in love. Her love was constant despite the fact that Dale had become a paraplegic from a tragic farm accident after he returned from his mission, and she accepted his marriage proposal. The laws at the time would not allow an inter-racial couple to receive a marriage license in the State of Utah so they decided to go to Grand Junction, Colorado to get married on Aug. 28, 1958. The courthouse had many steps that would be difficult for Dale to navigate so they asked the Justice of the Peace to come down to the parking lot to perform the ceremony. The clerk there served as one witness and they asked a cleaning lady working there to be the second witness. Dale had to give this woman his handkerchief so that she could clean her hands before she signed the marriage certificate. They drove back to Provo Utah and slept that night in their own apartments. The next day they were sealed in the Salt Lake City Utah temple and began their lives as eternal companions. After being accepted to Stanford and Harvard medical schools, Dale chose Stanford because it suited his limitations better. Dale and Eleanor moved to Palo Alto, California for medical school and residency. It was there that Eleanor got the recipe for her famous Fruit Nut Loaf which she made and gave as gifts to so many every Christmas for years. After medical training, the couple chose to live in Salt Lake City where Dale practiced medicine. Eleanor became active in the Utah Medical Association Alliance and was the advisor to the medical school spouses’ group for several years.

Dale and Eleanor were not able to have children of their own but had a special relationship with their dear friends and neighbors. Many consider Dale and El to be their second parents and have fond memories of being treated as their “kids.” Friends were often called to come over and taste-test something new that El made. She never told them what they were eating because she wanted an honest opinion. They remember her famous New Year’s Day open house, sitting with her around her kitchen table, being greeted with an “aloha” and then being asked if they wanted a drink. She shared her passion for cooking with so many in her home.

Dale knew that he would proceed Eleanor in death and prepared for her future in every way possible. He passed away in 1980 leaving Eleanor a widow for almost 41 years. During these 41 years, many others were richly blessed as Eleanor became an integral part of their families, joining them for weekly dinners, vacations, holidays, and every special occasion. Auntie El shared her aloha spirit and a tasty creation at each gathering she attended.

Eleanor was also an important member of her Kondo family and her husband’s Ream family. She took a special interest in her nieces and nephews from both families offering them cooking lessons, sage advice, a place to live when they needed it, and even financial help for education. Roman Takasaki and his family lived with her while he finished medical school. Kiefer Takasaki also lived with her for a while, and she influenced him to become a chef. Her Califoria Fujishige and Kamimura nieces and nephews were also very dear to her. Many of them enjoyed coming to Auntie El’s for their vacations. They always knew that they were welcome. In her later years she made the decision to help her sisters’ children get their college education. By extension, she was embraced by the Inouye and Mitarai families as well. They visited her often and helped her with rides to family events and in many other ways.

The Ream family truly considered her as one of their own and in the words of her sister-in-law Joan, “She was easy to love.” She also offered them advice and a place to stay. Eleanor joined many family trips near and far with the Reams and added her special touch to these experiences. The Ream family remembers riding the ski lift to the top of the mountain and then enjoying Auntie El’s hot and delicious clam chowder right there by the side of the ski run. She traveled extensively throughout the world with the Ream family and visited more than 50 countries. She had a close relationship with the Ream nieces and nephews as well.

Eleanor treasured her membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her parents owned a saimin and soda water shop that the missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would often frequent. When Eleanor’s sister Nancy became very ill, the missionaries offered to give Nancy a priesthood blessing. Nancy was miraculously healed, and Eleanor’s father agreed to let the missionaries teach their family about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Eventually all her family became members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Eleanor has always been a faithful member of the Church and has enjoyed serving her ward family in her own special way. For many it meant a never-ending supply of candy which she delighted in dispensing.

Eleanor used her talents to bless many people and enjoyed gaining recognition for some of her endeavors. She received certification in Haute Japanese Cuisine from Ecole Technique Hotelier Tsuji in Osaka, Japan. She was a member of Beehive State Chefs and enjoyed many Great Chefs Cooking Schools, special competitions, and fabulous dinners with these talented chefs. She volunteered with Ronald McDonald Charities, Festival of Trees, and Guadalupe Schools. She was a "Specialty Cookery" instructor at Macey's Food Store for 12 years. Eleanor was a food judge at the Utah State Fair and won 3rd place in the World Championship Dutch Oven Cook-Off in Salt Lake City in 2007. Her annual Christmas letter always included a favorite recipe.

When Chuck-A-Rama was struggling in the 1980s, they invited Eleanor to create and standardize all their recipes which made a complete turn-around for their business. In the 1990s, Eleanor served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a food consultant at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie, Hawaii. Again, her expertise helped to create and standardize authentic Hawaiian dishes to be served at all the restaurants located on the property.

In her later years, Eleanor greatly appreciated love and service from many dear friends including Keith and Kathie Taylor, Elwood and Lorele Neff family, the Bliss family and so many others. We are also grateful for the loving and professional care of Mele Taunauta and her daughter Mele for the last year of her life.

Eleanor Kondo Ream was straightforward and never afraid to be herself. She was a woman of integrity and firm faith in her Savior, Jesus Christ. We will miss her dearly but know that she experienced the most wonderful reunion when she passed through the veil to be reunited with her beloved Dale, her parents, siblings, and dear friends. She will always be remembered as our special Auntie El, El, Mom, and Grandma.

Aloha until we meet again.

Funeral services for Eleanor will be held on Saturday, July 17, at 11:00 a.m. at 2125 East Evergreen Avenue. Viewings will be held at the same location on Friday evening, July 16, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on Saturday morning prior to the funeral from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Eleanor’s body will be interned at the Ream family mausoleum in Dingle, Idaho.

We would like to thank Wasatch Lawn Mortuary for their respectful and professional care. We also want to thank the Valley View Twelfth Ward for their compassionate service. To follow the service on line, please go to facebook.com/wasatchlawnmemorial.