Elinor Sue
Ihlenfeldt
After a long and joyous life, Elinor Sue Ihlenfeldt died peacefully at home in Milwaukee, WI, surrounded by her loving family, on September 9, 2025.
Elinor was born on December 23, 1925, in Beloit, WI to Samuel and Clara Slaymaker. After high school, she moved to Madison where she started developing many lifelong friendships and received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree.
She met the love of her life, Dale, doing volunteer work for the Young Democrats in Milwaukee, and married him in 1954. They had seven children, one of whom died in infancy. She loved and nurtured them with ever-present homemade bread, wonderful learning experiences, and discovery: the family visited 40+ states and completed 10,000 (or so) jigsaw, crossword, and other puzzles together.
In addition, Elly was very generous with her time and energy outside the home: cooking for the St. Ben’s meal program, volunteering with a local well baby clinic and the Red Cross, leading the neighborhood girl scout troop, and actively participating in the church life of her beloved Saints Peter and Paul Parish.
She welcomed many others into her home over the years, from exchange students and University students to relatives and kids’ friends, nurturing all. Elly also enjoyed traveling domestically and overseas, usually taking the less beaten paths. She delighted at finding treasures at her favorite thrift stores.
Elinor was preceded in death by her husband Dale, son William, her parents, and siblings Patricia Eddy, John Slaymaker and Steven Slaymaker. She is survived by her children Julia, Susan (Dan Dworkin), Thomas (Lynn), Amy, Ellen (Scott Stone) and Andrew (Sonja) and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She was a free-spirited, generous and loving person.
We have known great Love. Go in Peace, Mom.
A memorial service will be held on Friday October 10 at SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 2490 N. Cramer St., Milwaukee, WI. Visitation with family at 10:00 AM, Service at 11:00 AM.
In lieu of flowers, donations to St Ben’s Community Meal of Milwaukee will be welcome: https://www.capuchincommunityservices.org/en/donate/monetary-donations
Julie, sorry for your loss. She sounds like a wonderful person, I wished I had the opportunity to get to know her
Lynn and Tom, so very sorry for your loss of your mother-in-law/mom. I know how very heard it is to loose your mom. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Love, Ruthie
My condolences to the Ihlenfeldt family.. I so enjoyed speaking with your mom last summer, which I hadn’t done since high school days 50 years ago. Rest in peace.
Julie & Family – Our condolences to you during this time of loss. Your Mom was always so sweet to everybody she met. What a wonderful woman.