Eleanor (Barsi) Staves, 85, passed away on February 20, 2010, at Aurora Medical Center in Kenosha surrounded by her loving family.  Eleanor was born in Kenosha on March 24, 1924, the daughter of the late Angelo and Flora (Bernardi) Barsi.  She graduated from Kenosha High School in 1942. On July 12, 1947, she married Clifford Staves at Holy Rosary Parish in Kenosha. He preceded her in death in 1960.

Eleanor enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. She was a born organizer with her most recent task coordinating a Sunday afternoon rosary prayer service with other residents at Brookside Care Center. She was a past President and Secretary of Holy Rosary Home and School, past President of Kenosha Women’s Club, member of the Holy Rosary Altar Society and Italian American Ladies Auxiliary. In her spare time, she enjoyed listening to classical music, crocheting, enjoying breakfast with the Kenosha Unified School District Retired Secretary’s Club, and playing dominos with her club friends.

In her younger days, Eleanor volunteered for the USO at the local YMCA during World War II. She was a bookkeeper for Union Dye Dry Cleaners, Lepp & Company, and Petretti Construction. She retired from Kenosha Unified School District in 1991 as a Payroll Secretary.

She will be sadly missed by three children: daughters, Myra (Michael) Smith of Sturtevant, WI, and Laurie Staves of Kenosha, and a son, Lawrence (Sandi) of Madison, WI; loving niece, Carole (Redini) Nicholus; four grandchildren, Dawn, Deanna, Amy and Aaron; and six great-grandchildren, Stephen, Zackary, Ethan, Alyssa, Brandon and Mason.

She was preceded in death by a sister, Julia (Henry) Redini.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on February 25, 2010 at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, followed by interment in St. James Cemetery.