Eleanor Thran was a family friend and my sister's godmother. She played the organ, sang, and directed the choir at our church for over 30 years. Parishioners and choir members remember her energy, her passion for music, and her loyalty to the choir. Less well-known, however, is the delight that Eleanor and her sister CHarlotte took in the wildlife that lived near their lovely Franklin Township home. Daily, they put out food for deer, foxes, rabbits, birds, and squirrels, and then watched them come out of the fields and woods nearby to feast in the rolling hillside behind the Thran home. Also, some will remember the breath-taking nativity display that Eleanor and Charlotte set out every Christmas in their living room and dining room. A collection that must have taken years to assemble, the sisters had miniature hills, a village, and stable surrounded by statues of shepherds, wise men, the holy family, and animals of every possible kind that may have visited the newborn Savior. It was just part of the Thran sisters' charm. May the Lord keep in mind Eleanor's love of his birthday, her appreciation for his creatures, and her devotion to his worship, as he welcomes her to himself.
