With deep sadness we announce the sudden passing of Eleanor Strickland on August 21, 2022. In 2020 with her close friend, Sue Michaelson, Eleanor moved from The Villages to Cypress Village, a continuing care community in Jacksonville, FL. There she was involved in a number of community activities and wrote for and edited the community newsletter.
Eleanor majored in Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. She did graduate work at the University of Illinois and also studied Computer Science at the University of St. Thomas. She developed an expertise in Computer Science and became interested in Artificial Intelligence. Eleanor spent much of her working life at IT companies in Minnesota. Eventually she was President and CEO of her own company EMS Software Development. Even in her retirement Eleanor remained involved with computer science and developed web pages for private companies and nonprofit organizations.
In 2003 Eleanor moved to The Villages. Here she was active in a number of community organizations, especially the Democratic Club and TRI UU Unitarian Church where she served as Treasurer. She was active in the Life Long Learning College where she especially enjoyed Great Books classes and classes in women’s history. She was a treasured member of Trivia teams and continued to display her artistic talent in her paintings and other aspects of the visual arts.
Eleanor was a lover of games and puzzles and had a very deep love and respect for so much of life. She especially loved cats and dogs, progressive liberal politics, football, bridge, and mahjong. But most of all Eleanor loved “her people.” Her many friends will sorely miss her wit, political savvy, her devotion to democracy and the many moments of laughter we shared with her. Were it legal, we believe Eleanor might find a way to send in an absentee ballot for the next election–such was her love for her country.
A future memorial is being planned at the Sumter County Democratic Club.
