Devoted wife, mother and friend, Eleanor Graefe of Keene, NH passed away on August 14, 2024. Ellie was a lifelong Lutheran born on April 30, 1924 in Wheeling, WV to Frederick Jacob Stroehmann and Ida Sophie Straub Stroehmann. The family moved to Williamsport, PA before Ellie started school when her father joined his uncle operating the Stroehmann Bakery.
Ellie attended public schools in Williamsport and then Gettysburg College where she studied French, Spanish, and German and met her future husband, James Arthur Graefe. After Jim returned from serving in WWII, they married and moved to Philadelphia, PA where Jim attended the Philadelphia Seminary while Ellie worked as a teacher supporting them. They started their family with the birth of John Frederick, followed by David Paul, Thomas Mark, and Stephen James. Ellie moved with Jim and their sons as Jim’s career as a Lutheran parish minister progressed, in the Philadelphia area then to Mt. Kisco, NY. After Jim’s election in 1969 as Bishop of the Lutheran Church in America Metro NY Synod, Ellie and Jim lived in several locations in the metro NY area. For many years the family enjoyed their summer house on eastern Lake Ontario. Following Jim’s death in 1988, Ellie moved to Poughkeepsie, NY.
Ellie loved music, and sang in the choir at all the churches she belonged to through the years, as well as serving on numerous committees. She was an avid gardener, seamstress, and loved to travel. She worked as a literacy volunteer for many years, a way she continued her love of teaching, and also volunteered for the League of Women Voters.
Ellie was predeceased by her siblings, Katherine Crane, Carol McMorris, Marion Waldeisen and Frederick Stroehmann. She is survived by her sons, John (Trish Weideman) of Stratham, NH, David (Margaret) of Westmoreland, NH, Thomas (Chanel) of Norwell, MA and Stephen (Mary Boxwell) of Greenland, NH, grandchildren Eleanor Bafundi, Samuel Graefe, Anna Graefe, William Graefe, Dana Graefe and Adam Graefe, and four great grandchildren.
A celebration of life service will be held at 1:00pm, October 12, 2024, at St. James Episcopal Church, 44 West Street, Keene, NH 03431. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). https://community.elca.org/givenow.
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