Eleanor Carol Hildebrandt was born in Houston, Texas on August 24, 1937. On March 25, 2024 in Brenham, Texas, she joyfully went to be with her Lord in Heaven. Forty-nine years of her life were spent in blessed marriage to Erwin E. Hildebrandt who preceded her in death in 2007. She lost her mother, Ellenora (Blum) Kelling, at the tender age of 9 and her father, Otto E. Kelling, Sr., in 1982. She is also preceded in death by her 3 brothers.
Eleanor is survived by daughters and sons-in-law Carol and John Spinuzzi, Janette and Reese Wawarosky, Marialice and Jack Gibbs, Helen and Robert Fults, and Lenora and Jason Grier. She is also survived by thirteen grandchildren and spouses, eleven great-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and close friends.
Growing up in the Houston Heights, Eleanor regularly played the organ or piano for her church. She excelled academically and was also captain of her Reagan High School volleyball team when they won the city championship. As a young lady, she attended Luther League events, worked college summers at Texas Commerce Bank, and majored in accounting at Rice University.
In 1957, she married Erwin, initiated her sixty-six year membership with the Trinity Klein Lutheran congregation, and made her home in the then countryside of Spring, Texas. Known for her warm smile and positive attitude, Eleanor saw that all five of her daughters learned to play her piano and include music prominently in their lives. She encouraged their educations and generally inspired them all to attend college. At the same time, she created academic and intellectual independence by withholding answers, handing over her college dictionary and responding, "Go look it up." As she and her daughters matured, she volunteered at the Trinity Klein Lutheran School Library, nursed her father while in ill health, and delighted in her grandchildren and great-grandchildren when visiting.
Eleanor's interests included flower and vegetable gardening, baking, canning, sewing, reading, correspondence, and photography of her family. She made dear friends in all of her residences after moving from the family home and also stayed in contact with her parents' large Brenham family.  She greeted everyone with a hug, left everyone with the words, "I love you," and taught us all to keep family close to our hearts.

A visitation will be held Friday, April 5, 2024 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Klein Funeral Home-Tomball. A funeral service will be held Saturday, April 6, 2024 at 10:00 am at Trinity Klein Lutheran Church 5201 Spring Cypress Rd. Spring, TX 77379. Burial will follow at Trinity Klein Lutheran Cemetery.

Donations may be made in her memory to the Trinity Klein Lutheran School fund or Grace Lutheran Church in Brenham.