Eleanor McGar Richardson

After a long and eventful life, Eleanor McGar Richardson passed away July 23, 2011 just two months shy of her 101st birthday.

Born Eleanor Marion Fraser on September 10, 1910 in Minneapolis, Minnesota she was the only child of Clyde Fraser and LuLu Anderson. The

family initially settled on Whidbey Island, but moved to the “big city” of Seattle when Eleanor was a very young child. She attended Green Lake Elementary School and Roosevelt High School. Eleanor took great pride in the fact that during her 100 year lifetime she never lived more than five miles away from Green Lake.

She met and married Talbot McGar, also of

Seattle. The couple ran their own business, The Seattle Plan Bureau, and raised three children who all still reside in the Seattle area. The family built a summer cabin on Vashon Island in the 1940’s and were summer residents for decades. The cabin is still used by the extended family today. Talbot preceded her in death in 1978. Eleanor loved to travel and while on a fortuitous trip to London she met Matthew Richardson. After an intercontinental romance, she married in 1989 at the forever young age of 78. Matthew preceded her in death in 2002.

Her family was always a source of great pride and joy to her. She had 7 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren – none of whom could ever do anything wrong, even when caught red-handed. She was always planning activities for the grandchildren; countless trips to parks, the zoo, plays, the beach – you name it she’d be up for it. As all the kids grew up she would take such pride in their accomplishments.

Eleanor lived her life to the fullest. She was always active and was always interested in new things. She was well-read and inquisitive. She LOVED a good joke, the written word, limericks and puns and games. She was an avid bridge player her entire life. Games of all kinds were paramount to a family evening. Countless fond memories of Skip-Bo and Tripoli, as well as Jell-O and aspic salads will live on forever. She generally preferred the company of “young people” as she found them to be more fun than her contemporaries, and better able to keep up with her. In her retirement she enjoyed traveling the world, the highlight of which was her trip to China in the early ‘70s. She enjoyed sojourns to Hawaii, The British Isles, Australia, Egypt and Europe.

She was also a woman of habit… things must be kept on schedule. The day could not begin without a cup of coffee, the NY Times crossword puzzle and one – yes, just one cigarette. A daily walk was a necessity, rain or shine. Lunch was promptly at noon. One cocktail and one cigarette at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6. Sliced ice cream to follow. News at 11:00. Bed. Heaven forbid if there was any variation to the schedule – although she would frequently announce that she was flexible.

She also loved her community and took great pride in all things Seattle. If something or someone came along that made a historic mark, she made sure we all knew about it. She was always an active volunteer for one cause or another. She spent decades volunteering for the Seattle Milk Fund, and later in life the Greenwood Senior Center. Before the advent of books on tape, she spent countless hours reading to the blind.

She spent the last several years living at the Hearthstone at Green Lake where she enjoyed the people and activities. She was an avid Mariners fan and rarely missed a televised game, and the highlight of her 90th birthday was meeting the Mariner Moose.

She was well-loved and will be greatly missed by family and friends. She is survived by her three children: Margery Smith (Thomas) of Vashon Island; Douglas (Fran) McGar of Seattle; and Gregory (Wendy) also of Seattle, and the aforementioned 7 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Remembrances in Eleanor’s name can be made to the Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N. 8th St, Seattle, 98103.

Alas, it’s done

no one hundred and one.

You had a good ride,

no reason to hide.

At five we will drink

and pause to think

of all you gave

and your memory to save.

Paid Obituary.