Eileen Janet Churchill passed away on October 1, 2023, at her home in Spring Valley, at the age of 102. She was the fourth born child of Melvin and Helen (Johnson) Root. Born June 11, 1921, she had 10 brothers and sisters. Early on, she lived in western Wisconsin before the family relocated to the Bear Creek and Racine, Minn., area. In 1935 she took up residence with Dr. Rosenthal and his wife in Grand Meadow, where she was a house helper, and graduated from Grand Meadow High School. In 1938 she met Robert Churchill of Spring Valley. They were married June 2, 1940, at the First Congregational Church in Spring Valley. She and Robert farmed with his father (Glenn) on the family farm there and Robert built her a new house there. Along with farming, they owned school busses and she helped drive kindergarten kids home from school. Robert was also a substitute rural mail carrier in the area, so between the three jobs they were kept quite busy. They enjoyed many fishing trips and sightseeing (traveling) adventures together, along with card parties with their friends and relatives. Eileen liked to restore antique furniture, along with cooking and generally taking care of family. She was great at all of it. She had a great circle of friends to hang out with. She called them her “group therapy” and they enjoyed walking, coffee and good conversations.
In 1970 she took a job with the Spring Valley School District as a cook, where she worked up until 1983 when she and Robert retired to spend some well-deserved time together. Robert passed away in 1985 and she stayed in the house he built until it became too much to take care of, at which time she moved to a townhome and eventually, assisted living. Around 1993 Art Maloney came into her life and they spent time together traveling and just hanging out. He took very good care of her up until he passed away. In 2020 she came back home to the farm to live with her son Jon (Wendy) in that same house. She spent her final days there.
Eileen and Robert raised three children: Judith, Judson and Jon, who they dedicated their lives to.
She is survived by her children Judith and Jon (Wendy), as well as brothers Roger (Kathy), Mert (Marlene), and Allen (Betty); sisters-in-law Glendora, Delores and Glenice (Fred) Schmidt; daughter-in-law Pamela Churchill, along with many nieces, nephews and grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by husband Robert, son Judson, parents Melvin and Helen, parents-in-law Glen and Myrtle Churchill, sisters Ruth (Charlie) Blowers and Joyce (Howard) Turbenson, brothers Claire (Vivian), Wesley (Helen), Warren, Gene, and Maynard (Phyllis); brothers-in-law Kenneth (Arlene) and Claire (Beverly) Churchill, son-in-law Dale Wille, and brother-in-law Bud Gunderson.
Eileen decided to donate her body to the Mayo Clinic for medical science. Given that decision, services will be held at a later date with burial in the Frankford Cemetery.
The family would like to thank the nurses and staff of the Mayo Clinic Hospice program for their wonderful care during her final days and hours.
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