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Hawthorne Co-Founder
Eleanor Wilson Orr

July 12, 1927 to October 10, 2008

Eleanor 2003
Eleanor 2003 Eleanor 1998
October 10, 2008

To All Our Dearest Friends, Colleagues and Alumni of Hawthorne and Cibola,

It is with a sad and heavy heart that I write you to inform you that
Eleanor (Louise O'Connor) Wilson Orr, "Eorr" to some of you, "Skip" to
some of you, "Sis" to yet others, and my wife and partner for more than
58 years, passed away this morning, October 10, 2008 at approximately
4:00AM. Eleanor was 81 years old.

With her at the time of her death were her brother Bud, our nephew Ben,
our four children, Douglas, Leslie, Meghan, and Duncan, Leslie's husband
Rick, and me.

Per Eleanor's wishes, her remains shall be cremated and then interred
along side her mother's remains at Lakeside Cemetery in Lakeside, Michigan,
the town where is located her 5th generation childhood summer lakefront
home, to which, in fact, we took some of you when we traveled west to
Cibola in the 50's and 60's.

On an as yet undetermined date, there will be a memorial service open to
all our entire extended circle of friends, relatives, colleagues, former
Hawthorne students and faculty, and former Cibola campers and staff. I will
contact all of you as soon as I have chosen the date and location.

I know how much Eleanor meant to you. I am equally certain you realize how
much you have meant to both Eleanor and me. I am eternally grateful to all
of you for everything you have been to us both and for all the wonderful
times and memories.

My home mailing address is:

637 Oak Street
Herndon, VA 20170-5118

All my love and gratitude to each and every one of you,

Sandy

(Text abridged from e-mail sent on October 10, 2008.)
Memorial Service November 15, 2008

October 23, 2008

Dearest Friends, Alumni, and Faculty of Hawthorne and Cibola,

I'm not a big email user, but in this day and age and for this purpose it
definitely has its merits.

In celebration of Eleanor's life, a memorial service will be held at
1:00pm on Saturday, November 15th in Washington, DC. It will be held in
the building we built in 1964 at 501 I Street SW, currently Southeastern
University. (Some of you remember it as 501 "Eye" Street SW.) more below

Southeastern University has graciously and generously provided the space
at no cost to us. If you attend and have the opportunity, please take a
moment to thank Charlene Drew Jarvis, President, Mr. Peter Canine, Chief
Financial Officer, and Phil Wallace, Director Physical Plant.

In lieu of flowers, I would like to suggest a contribution to the American
Melanoma Foundation or toward the National Cancer Institute's research
programs on melanoma in memorial to Eleanor. more below

It would mean a lot to me if you would reach out to everyone with whom you
may be in contact, as our email list numbers only a little over 300 out of
more than 1,500 alumni, friends, and former faculty.

For further information, please feel free to phone me at home
(703) 742-7612 or Doug on his cell (202) 445-4487.

I hope you can join us. I would love to see you, as would I am sure any of
your friends and classmates who may attend.

All my love,

Sandy

About the Memorial Service


The entrance to 501 I Street SW is now from 6th street, via the courtyard (see Google map).  When you enter, you will find a reception desk in the former assembly room where you can get directions.  The service will be in a large new room constructed above the gymnasium.

The formal part of the service will be November 15, 2008 from 1 to 2 PM, followed by refreshments and a reception lasting about three to four hours.

To get to 501 I St SW by public transportation, see the METRO Trip Planner.  If you don't mind walking a few blocks then enter the SEU-Waterfront Station as your destination.   From the station, walk east on M Street to 6th Street, then turn right and continue on 6th Street to Southeastern University (SEU), entering the building from 6th Street.

If you need to get as close as possible then enter 501 I St SW as your destination, and the Trip Planner will route you by bus to a stop a few hundred feet from SEU.

If you are driving to the memorial service, please park on-street or in public parking.  SEU is having classes that day, so please do not park in their lots.  There is plenty of on-street parking within three blocks of the school.

Hotels

Doug suggests that "From the standpoint of both convenience and expense, my hunch is that the Reagan National Airport-Crystal City-Rosslyn Circle corridor is the best for hotels."  You can check prices and make reservations at online services such as Travelocity and Orbitz.


Memorial Gifts

May be sent to:

American Melanoma Foundation
12395 El Camino Real, Suite 177
San Diego, CA 92130
(858) 822-7712

or

The Director
The National Cancer Institute
Building 31, Room 11A-16
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20892

When you make a memorial gift, please be sure to mention Sandy's name and mailing address so the organization can notify him of the gift (they will not reveal the amount).


Last updated November 13, 2008