Fowlerville News and Views Online

Eleanor Margaret (Krebs) Messner

    Eleanor Margaret (Krebs) Messner began her new life in heaven on April 30, 2020 at the age of 92.   She was born in August 1927 in Detroit to parents Lena and Fredrick Krebs,  and moved to Fowlerville at the age of three.  She lived there until 2010 when she moved to DeWitt to be close to her daughter, Laura.   Eleanor is survived by daughter Linda Seufert [DeWitt MI], son George (Doreen) Messner  [Howell MI], and daughter Laura Masterson [DeWitt MI].     
     In addition, she is survived by Grandson Adam (Kristi) Koehn and great grandchildren Grant, Victoria and Elizabeth [Elbert CO]; Grandson Brian Koehn [Breckenridge CO]; granddaughter Tina (Terry) Rabideau and great grandson Christian [Commerce MI]; granddaughter Kelly Stomp and great grandson Cole [Davison MI]; granddaughter Jessica (Michael) Messner McDaniel and great grandchildren Emma and Levi [Bann, Germany]; Grandson Lewis (Claire) Messner [Ft. Collins, CO]; Grandson Nathanael (Kathryn) Messner [Howell, MI]; Grandson Jason (Liz) Masterson and great grandson Jackson [DeWitt MI]; Grandson Jeremy (Natalie) Leonard and granddaughters Annabelle and Juliette [DeWitt MI}.  
      She was welcomed into heaven by brother Walter Krebs, husband Roland Messner, granddaughter Valerie (Masterson) Leonard and grandson Daniel Masterson. 
     Eleanor saw beauty in all things around her.  Some of her favorites were flowers of any kind, the clouds in the sky and the glittering crystals of ice on the snow.  She was a gifted artist and began painting in her preteen years.   At age 12 she began lettering windows ‘in memory of’ at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Fowlerville.  This skill grew into a business of sign painting in her adult years. She painted bill boards, semi trucks and doors/windows of business establishments in the Fowlerville and Howell area.  She was an avid photographer and would transfer the image into a landscape oil painting. She even dabbled in portraits.  Her adventurous artistic gifts expanded (at age 63) to carving a life size heron and a full size goose  from walnut.  Eleanor also was an accomplished seamstress, not only creating clothing for her family but also customized wedding dresses for friends. Eleanor was a great cook and the grandchildren always begged for her ‘beef meat, carrots and potatoes’ to be followed up by German chocolate cake.   Another favorite was her lemon meringue pie.
     Eleanor loved to travel with her husband Roland.  Together they traveled to the western national parks twice; sailed the Great Lakes of Michigan and then Florida coast with friends and visited her family in Germany.  In her later years, she took granddaughters Valerie and Jessica to Germany to meet their relations and again returned alone to visit family. 
Eleanor graduated from Fowlerville High School, worked at Howell Motors for three years.  She met future husband Roland while attending weekly dancing events in Mason with her brother Walter.  They married in April of 1948.  Her first home was on Howell/Mason Road and then they moved to S. Fowlerville Road where they farmed 80 acres, raised Angus cattle, cultivated a huge garden and canned the produce, and worked alongside their three children in all their 4-H projects.   There was a woodlot on the farm, and she loved to hunt for morel mushrooms, pick hickory nuts and ice skate on the pond in the woods.  She searched for and collected all kinds of rocks, but especially loved the ‘pudding stones’.   
     Eleanor had a strong faith in her Lord Jesus Christ.  She would tell of the day, when she was 9, that she met the Lord and became infused with His Spirit.  She always referred to the trinity as ‘her three Fathers’ and would talk to them continually.  She ended most days sitting on the couch and reading from her worn bible.   She attended St. Johns Lutheran Church in Fowlerville from age 3 until she moved to DeWitt in 2009.  She then attended Mt. Hope Church in Lansing with daughter Laura. 
     Eleanor lived a long and full life.  She loved her family with passion.  She is now healed, well and whole, living on the other side, ready to greet her loved ones.  Cremation has taken place.  A private family burial at Greenwood Cemetery will take place.  Arrangements entrusted to Herrmann Funeral Home. Online condolences may be expressed at pjherrmannfuneralhome.com