Eleanor Young Van Orden
1913 ~ 2008
Eleanor Brinton Young Van Orden passed away peacefully March 30, 2008. She was born September 26, 1913, the youngest child of Levi Edgar Young and Valeria Brinton Young. She attended grade schools in Salt Lake City. When she was in the seventh grade she attended Columbia University's Horace Mann School for girls. The three previous months she and her family lived in Montreal, Canada.
Eleanor graduated from LDS High School and from the University of Utah where she majored in English Literature and was a member of Chi Omega Sorority. Following graduation she was a social worker for the Salt Lake County Hospital.
At the beginning of World War II, Eleanor lived in Boston, Massachusetts, for three years while her father was president of the LDS New England Mission. Believing she should be involved in war service, she worked for the Boston Quartermaster Depot where all footwear was bought for every branch of the armed services.
After returning to Salt Lake she became interested in advertising and worked for two years as a copywriter at Auerbach's Department Store. Seeking more experience, she went to New York City where she wrote copy for Vogue Magazine's advertising department, followed by a copywriting position at Newell-Emmett Advertising Agency, where she wrote advertising copy for some of the largest companies in the United States. She also took classes in advertising at Columbia University.
While in New York Eleanor met Harris Olson Van Orden, a Ph.D. chemistry student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. They were married by her father in New York on October 16, 1948, at the home of her sister and brother-in-law, Dr. and Mrs. Rulon Rawson. Later they moved to Logan, Utah, where Harris taught chemistry at Utah State University. Their marriage was later sealed in the Logan LDS Temple. Eleanor was active in the LDS Church throughout her life. She taught classes in Primary, Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association, Sunday School and stake in-service programs. She was also active in Relief Society, in her later years as second counselor at the Williamsburg Retirement Inn. Eleanor was a member of Utah State University Old Main Society and Faculty Women's League. She was also a member of the A.C. Woman's Club, Belletrist Club, American Legion Women's Auxiliary, and Brigham Young University's President's Club. Eleanor enjoyed travel, visiting Canada, Panama, Cuba, Europe, Hawaii and the Caribbean Islands.
In May 2003, she and her husband moved to the Parklane Senior Apartments in Salt Lake City.
She is survived by her husband, Harris, son, Peter, and his wife, Linda. Preceded in death by her parents and sisters, Harriet Young Kline and Jane Young Rawson.
Funeral services will be Friday, April 4, 2008, at 11:00 a.m. at Wasatch Lawn Mortuary, 3401 Highland Drive, Salt Lake, with a viewing one hour prior. Burial will follow at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park.
The family wishes to express appreciation to Dr. Ahn and Emily at Alpine Medical, the staff of Parklane Senior Apts., Sunrise Assisted Living of Sandy, and CareSource Home Health and Hospice.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Harris O. and Eleanor Y. Van Orden Endowed Scholarship in Nutrition and Food Sciences at Utah State University, c/o Development Office, 1420 Old Main Hill, Logan, Utah 84322.