Eleanore Gehry Bassett, born Oct. 3, 1929, in Karlsruhe, West Germany, died Sept. 2, 2003 in Oak Harbor.

Eleonore earned her degree in fashion and stage design just before World War II, in Baden-Baden, West Germany. She loved creating beautiful, colorful, Christmas window transparencies. Her talent for gardening amazed her children and neighbors. Her knowledge of herbal and homeopathic remedies brought comfort and healing to all who knew her.

She would listen intently and talk to anyone around her. Eleonore enjoyed music very much, especially playing songs on her zither, piano, blockflüte-recorder and guitar. She also taught music for a short time to youngsters. She was a voracious reader and loved to play Scrabble. Her white Volkswagen camper van had many thousands of miles on it from her love of traveling.

She will be dearly missed by her many friends and family, who include: Daughter, Evamaria Croskey and her husband Bruce, their children-Wolfgang, a future teacher, Joel, a Midshipman at the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD and currently serving a Church Mission in Sicily, Italy and Alexander, a Cadet and future Civil Engineer at The Citadel,

Military School of South Carolina. Her daughter Vicktoria and her husband Steve and their children, Daniel, a future college professor, Pamela, studying Sociology and Andrew, student of Japanese Culture and Art enthusiast and Bryan, a future Mechanical Engineer. Her daughter, Katie, who lovingly cared for her until her passing, is a massage therapist. Eleonore has a sister, Eva-Maria, living in Germany and a sister-in-law, Brigitte, living in Vancouver, Canada. Each has children: Andrea, a professional business woman, Martin, a restorer of ancient historical buildings and Christopher, an homeopathic doctor, his wife Cassandra and son, Kai of Canada and Klaus, a Paramedic in Germany, his brother Stefan, his wife, Vicky and children, Anaias and Florian, all of France. Her brother, Klaus who lived in Canada, pre-deceased her, along with her Mother, Lina, Father, Bernhard and other brother, also named Bernhard all of Germany.

She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, aunt and great-aunt.

Arrangements were compassionately and with extreme kindness performed by Evans Funeral Home. Services were held in Anacortes where she sleeps in eternal rest at the Fern Hill Cemetery.