Eleanor M. Dewey, age 95, passed peacefully at the home of her son surrounded by family on February 5th , 2023. Eleanor Kelly was born Aug 1, 1927, west of Stapleton, Nebraska on her grandparents (Miles and Fanny Haddock Brothers) farm, to Clarence and Pearl Brothers Kelly. She was the youngest of 4 children. Her father, Clarence, died on Oct 22, 1934. In 1935, she along with her mother and siblings moved into Stapleton. On April 13, 1937, her brother Miles died.
Eleanor attended Stapleton High School graduating in 1946. She met Duane Thomas, a cowboy, at the Stapleton Rodeo. They were married on June 17, 1946, in Kearney, Nebraska. Eleanor and Duane lived on the Thomas Family Ranch on the banks of the Dismal River from 1946 to 1959. They had two children, Dennis, and Lynn. In 1959, they moved to Palisade Colorado where they operated a peach orchard for 1 year. They then moved to a ranch near Mack, Colorado. In 1962, they moved to Ansley, NE where they purchased a motel, gas station and drive in, the D&E. On July 19, 1976, she was devastated by the death of her husband, Duane.
Following Duane’s death, she continued to run the motel. She married Vern Dewey on Dec 16, 1978. They continued at the motel until 1986 when they moved to Lake Havasu City, Arizona. They traveled around the country in their RV seeing most of the United States. They traveled to Nebraska each summer to visit their sons until her health deteriorated and she was no longer able to travel in 2013.
Eleanor was a member of the Ansley United Methodist church from 1962 until she moved in 1986. She taught Sunday School, was a member of the UMW and was a faithful follower. She became a member of the Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Lake Havasu City.
Eleanor resided in care facilities from 2013 until 2022. Vern passed in August 2016. She moved to her son, Lynn’s, home in Castle Rock Colorado in November of 2022 where she resided until her death.
Eleanor was preceded in death by her husbands, Duane Thomas and Vern Dewey, her son, Dennis Thomas, her parents, her brothers, Miles and Albert, and sister, Mildred.
She is survived by her son, Lynn and daughter-in-law, Angela Thomas of Castle Rock, Colorado, two grandsons, Brian Thomas and wife Kristina Rodgers of McCook, Nebraska, and Caeden Thomas and partner Sol Thomas of Castle Rock, Colorado, great granddaughter, Serenity Thomas, sister-in-law Patti Sells, her dear friends, Janice and Bill Dewey of Lake Havasu City, AZ, along with nieces, nephews, and many other relatives.
Graveside services will be held at the Broken Bow Township Cemetery, Broken Bow, Nebraska on May 22, 2023, at 2:00 pm.
Memorials in her name may be given to:
Mount Olive Lutheran Church, 2170 Havasupai Blvd, Lake Havasu City AZ 86403.