Eleanor Mae Shorney, 94, was born February 7, 1923 on a farm near Dorrance, KS, the fourth child of eight of Robert and Emma (Cook) Kaufman and passed away on January 25, 2018 at the Belleville Health Care Center, Belleville, KS. As a young girl, Eleanor moved in 1927 with her family from western Kansas to a farm northwest of Haddam. She attended school in a nearby rural school: Horseshoe Country School, later graduating from Haddam High School in 1940. After graduation, she took several college classes at Manhattan for a teaching certificate. Eleanor then taught all eight grades in country schools in Republic and Washington Counties for two years. On July 6, 1942, she was united in marriage to Frank W. Shorney and to this union was born sons: Frank, Fred and Jerry. Eleanor and her husband farmed for over 50 years on a place they named Cherry Creek Turkey Ranch, southeast of Narka, KS on Cherry Creek. In her prime working years, she was the farm bookkeeper and participated in all farm chores. The couple enjoyed exhibiting farm and garden produce at the fair, dancing, and also traveled all 50 states. In 1997, the couple moved to Belleville, KS to make their home and continued to maintain the farm for several years. She was preceded in death by her husband Frank W. Shorney in 2008, her parents Robert and Emma Kaufman; sister, Irene Freeman; and brothers, Roy, Vernon, Harold, Leo, and Melvin Kaufman.
Eleanor is survived by sons and wives, Frank L. (Sharon) Shorney of Lee's Summit, MO, Fred (Carol) Shorney of Blue Springs, MO and Jerry (Patty) Shorney of Lincoln, NE; six grandchildren, Stephanie Shorney (Steve) Kempker of Lee's Summit, MO, Holly Shorney-(Shaun) Darby of Alkmaar, Netherlands, Jim Shorney of Basehor, KS, Tony Shorney of Palm Springs, CA, Frank (Amie) Shorney Jr. of Lee's Summit, MO, and Marcus (Nicole) Shorney of Omaha, NE; nine great grandchildren, Aden and Beck Shorney, Anna and Louise Darby, Emma and Noah Kempker, Samantha Dunn, Krysta Kirk and Mira Shorney; one sister Donna (Francis) Wiley of Lawrence, KS; sister-in-law Beryl Kaufman of Lawrence, KS and sister-in-law Ruth Kaufman of Topeka, KS; other relatives, and friends.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM Wednesday, January 31, 2018 at the Bachelor-Surber Memorial Chapel, Belleville, KS with Pastor Kathy Aeillo, officiating. Interment will be at the National Cemetery, rural Narka, KS. Friends may call from 1 PM until 8 PM on Tuesday at the funeral home, where the family will receive friends from 5 PM until 7 PM on Tuesday. Memorials are suggested to the American Legion Post- Cuba, KS; The National Cemetery, or Narka Presbyterian Church. Online condolences at www.bachelor-surber.com. Bachelor-Surber Funeral Home, Belleville, KS is in charge of the arrangements.