Eloise Margaret Harback

It is with great sadness that we announce that our precious wife and mother, Eloise Margaret Harback passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, on February 7, 2023 in Visalia, California. Eloise (Ellie) is survived by her loving husband of 63 years, Ken, and her five children; John (Cinthya) Teresa, Karen (Danny), Kenny and Cecelia, her 14 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. She was born Eloise Margaret Ellington on November 22, 1933, in Spearfish, South Dakota, the youngest of seven children born to Hamlet and Inez Ellington of South Dakota. She grew up in Spearfish and attended nursing school in Rapid City at St. John’s Hospital where she was awarded an R.N. degree. Her father was the son of Norwegian immigrants and her mother Inez was of Irish descent and a college graduate of Northern State Teachers College in Aberdeen, South Dakota. She had three brothers; Edward, Darwin and Johnny, and three sisters; Arline, Cecilia, and Heidi. Eloise loved and admired her siblings so much and was so proud of them all. She was so delighted by her mother’s passion for poetry and literature that she, at a young age, discovered her own enthusiasm for reading, poetry, history, and simply a love of words! Despite Alzheimer's disease, she was an amazing speller! Also, she was clearly influenced by her parents’ good humor and her family’s love of storytelling. She had a clever, delightful sense of humor that brought us all so many laughs, even until her last days with us. Eloise was a devoted Catholic and was a living example of her faith by the way she showed so much concern and compassion for others, always wanting others to be happy and safe before taking interest in her own needs. She often said, “Please be safe, healthy, kind, happy, and spiritual.” Following nursing school, she moved to California and worked at the Beverly Hills Clinic where she loved assisting with delivering babies, until she began having her own. Eloise married the love of her life, Kenneth Alan Harback (of Venice, CA), on October 3, 1959 in the San Gabriel Mission, a historic landmark in San Gabriel, California. She met Ken through the Grindelwald Ski Club in Los Angeles. They shared a first kiss on a ski trip to Alta, Utah, and their great 63 ½ year romance began. Ken and Ellie raised their five children in Van Nuys, California, enjoying camping and sailing at Huntington Lake almost every summer with Aunt Heidi and Uncle Arlie Brooks, and dear cousins. The family took frequent weekend trips to their small cabin in Frazier Park, outside Los Angeles, with numerous kids, dogs, and a cooler in tow. Mom always put her family first, which included a lot of effort on her part. These adventures provided so much fun and a lifelong love of the outdoors for the entire family. Eloise was a member of St. Jane Frances de Chantel Catholic Church in North Hollywood, where all their children attended. While doing an amazing job raising five children, Eloise was very active in the church helping with events, delivering meals to those in need, and participating in production plays like "My Fair Lady," and "The Sound of Music." In 1983, they moved to Santa Barbara County where they built a home in the rolling hills of Santa Ynez and enjoyed a beautiful country life, good friends and neighbors. Eloise loved the Santa Ynez Mission, helping at the church whenever she could, and playing tennis with her friends. Ken and Ellie worked together on their new house and enjoyed the process —a huge undertaking and ultimately a wonderful family gathering place. At this time, they also enjoyed sailing on their boat, Enya, in the Channel Islands with the Channel Islands Yacht Club. Fun camping trips with this group continued for many years after they sold their boat. In 2001, they moved to Visalia, California, closer to Eloise’s sister Heidi and her husband, Arlie Brooks and where they made dear lifetime friends from the Elks Club and Vagabond RV group. Many new adventures had begun for them there! Ellie’s greatest joys were being with Ken on adventures, time with her family, friends, siblings, and grandchildren. She enjoyed going to mass, helping others, dancing, sharing good humor, great music, doing crochet projects, making delicious desserts, reciting poetry, doing funny, unique impersonations, and always having a great laugh! She will be so dearly missed by her family and friends. We are so grateful for the supportive and patient caretakers we’ve had for the past several years, especially Nancy our amazing “Visiting Angel,” the caring nurses with American Hospice, and the loving staff at Glory Days Memory Care in Visalia. Private services will be held at St. Anthony’s Retreat Center March 24, 2023. The family requests remembrances be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in Eloise’s honor.