Who was my Aunt Eleanor Lena Schuler Boldt, 1910-1995?

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness...

Matthew 6:33 NJK BibleGateway

1925 Schuler family Front row l-r Dorothy 1921, Mildred 1919 Back row l-r Eleanor 1910, Nettie Couch1884, William John Schuler 1871, Lloyd 1912

Who was Aunt Eleanor to me? Eleanor was my mother’s older sister, the first born of the family. Aunt Eleanor married Rev. William J. Boldt in 1943. He was pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Joliet, Illinois. She moved into the parsonage attached to the church. From about 1946 to mid 1950s, our family lived next door. Eleanor was my Sunday school teacher, summer Bible school teacher, Sunday night junior high school leader. Many happy hours of instruction came from my aunt in the form of flannel-graph stories such as the “stoning of Stephen” and chalk talks with the music and story of “Peter and the Wolf.” Many pleasant memories of “childhood family” time flood my mind. That’s a whole different blog.

In the years before technology, Uncle Bill and Aunt Eleanor traveled many miles supporting missionaries in EVERY country. The missionaries would share their plans, needs and how the mission boards could support their specific work. In 1959, my dad traveled with them to Africa to film their trip firsthand, so different from zoom meetings today.  When they came home, we enjoyed many hours of stories and photos.  Matthew 28:19-20.

By 1980, they moved to Evansville, Indiana. Uncle Bill died in 1988; Eleanor continued sharing their interest in missions.  This time, she would use the mail service. She would go to the library and copy notes of joy and encouragement; as she wrote letters, the envelopes always had poems and scripture attached, example, Romans 8:32, 2 Timothy 1:7. Also, Eleanor spent many hours in her living room at her prayer table. This glass top coffee table displayed photos as reminders to pray for families and friends by name. Eleanor loved Jesus Christ as her personal Savior. She daily shared John 3:16 and John 8:32.

This is how I remember Aunt Eleanor by love for her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, not the young child searching for the meaning for her life. Truly, Ella S. or Aunt Eleanor found meaning for her life.

This blog was written in two parts for Eleanor's view of herself read Who was Eleanor Lena Schuler Boldt, 1910-1995?