Eleanor Patricia Birsner

eleanor birsner

April 12, 1928 ~ May 29, 2017

Eleanor Patricia (Balsley) Birsner, 89, formerly of Morrisonville, IL passed away Monday, May 29, 2017 in Taos, NM.

Eleanor Patricia Balsley was born April 12, 1928 in Morrisonville, IL, the oldest child of William P. Balsley and Helen Dee (Kitchell) Balsley.

Patricia attended Morrisonville schools, graduating in 1946, early and with honors. She started college at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Ill, and graduated in 1950 from the University of Illinois with a degree in Education, with honors.

She married Hubert Birsner 11-10-1948.  They had two daughters; Jane Ellen born 12-11-1950 and Peggy Lynn born 8-25-1961.  Pat taught in a number of Illinois school districts, until the family moved to Dickinson, TX in 1955.

By 1956, she once again went off to work on a Master's of Education at Texas Women's University, graduating in 1959. Pat taught for several more years, teaching physical education and coaching women's sports in the Houston-Galveston area.

In the last year or so of her teaching, Pat began to work as an educational consultant for Educational Development Laboratories selling reading programs throughout East Texas. In 1962, she and her husband Hubert became dealers for EDL products, with offices in their new home, League City, TX. In 1968 brother Ron joined the firm forming a partnership with Pat, then selling the organization to EDL/McGraw Hill in 1970. At that time, Pat moved to Budd Lake, New Jersey, working in New York City as a writer/editor, then retiring from McGraw-Hill in 1980. She and her daughter Peggy decided to move closer to her brother Stan in Cookeville, TN in 2004.  Spent the last years of her life in Taos, New Mexico near her daughter Jane and her family.

Pat was witty and knew a lot about almost everything. If a topic came up that she didn't know all about she was willing to research and study until she was knowledgeable. She attended Methodist Churches throughout her life, and church music was very important to her. Pat played the piano from childhood, segueing from religious music to jazz, often while reading a magazine. She played the organ at several churches in Illinois, Texas, and New Jersey.

We miss you, Pat.

She was preceded in death by her husband and parents; daughter, Peggy Lynn; brother, Stanley (Wanda) Balsley; and sister, Lorraine Bales.

Pat is survived by her daughter, Jane (Michael) Compton of Taos, NM; granddaughters, Emily (Corey Totaro) Compton of Taos, NM, and Lily (Aaron) Richardson of Tempe, AZ; grandsons, Simon Totaro, Sawyer Totaro, Andrew Richardson, and Sean Richardson; and brothers, Leland (Eleanor) Balsley of Virginia Beach, VA, and Ronald (Sandra) Balsley of Victor, ID.

Memorial Visitation: The family will receive friends Friday, July 28, 2017 from 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. at Perfetti-Assalley Funeral Home, 304 Carlin St., Morrisonville, IL 62546.

Burial at Morrisonville Cemetery will follow the visitation, at the Balsley Family Plot.

Please visit www.assalleyfuneralhomes.com to offer condolences to the family.

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