A woman known throughout Steinbach for her generosity and unwavering positivity lost her three-year-long battle with cancer Wednesday night.

Eleanor Gingerich was taken into palliative care roughly a week ago as her condition grew worse. Though friends and family knew her death was imminent, to them, the loss still seemed sudden.

Eleanor Gingerich was well-known for her involvement in her local arts and church communities.Also last night, the Steinbach Arts Council had their first meeting of the season. As is custom, a Steinbach City Councillor was there to commemorate the event. That Councillor was Susan Penner, one of Eleanor’s nieces.

At the time of her address, Penner had not yet learned the devastating news. However, because of her aunt’s past involvement on the SAC Board of Directors, she had already decided to focus her speech on Eleanor’s legacy. Only moments after her presentation, the room learned of what had taken place.

“During that meeting, we got a note that Eleanor Gingerich had passed away,” shares Director of Development Cindi Rempel Patrick, holding back tears. “The community as a whole will definitely notice this loss.”

Rempel Patrick says she was inspired by Eleanor’s way with people and, in many ways, considered her a mentor.

“Eleanor cared for everyone. She always made you feel better when you left any kind of little engagement with her,” reflects Rempel Patrick. “She was a woman of great integrity and so many people respected her.”

Penner agrees.

“If I could sum up her legacy, I would say two things: she chose to have joy, and she genuinely loved other people. It would not really matter what circumstances were, even if things were going all wrong she would always focus on the positives and that was really refreshing.”

Between Eleanor’s participation in the arts community, her volunteerism with her church, and her generally kind demeanor, Penner does not believe there is another woman in Steinbach who could claim to have more friends. It is for that widespread impact in southeastern Manitoba that the Steinbach Arts Council is thinking of naming a bursary in her honor. According to Rempel Patrick, she was known especially for her love of song and, while the exact details have yet to be worked out, the board plans on making some kind of Eleanor Gingerich scholarship an annual staple of their music department.

Eleanor Gingerich is survived by her husband, Roger, four sisters, four children and their spouses, and 10 grandchildren. Her absence will leave a deep hole in the hearts of all who knew her.