MacDONALD, ELEANOR ROPKE, 89, died peacefully on Friday, October 22, 2010.

Eleanor was born in Louisville on June 20, 1921 to Mildred (Rapier) and Harry A. Ropke. As a teenager, Eleanor was a champion swimmer and enrolled at the University of Louisville after graduating from Loretto High School. During World War II, Eleanor worked as an aircraft inspector of bombers after they were fitted out in Louisville.

Later, Eleanor became a Louisville Police Officer and won several Kentucky Peace Officer shooting competitions. She was also active in gardening and flower shows at the Audubon Country Club.

Eleanor moved to Florida in 1962 where she made a living in real estate and pursued her passion by supporting veterans and civic organizations. She was a member of the Woman’s Club of Winter Park, the Winter Park and later Orlando chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and of the Central Florida Veterans Inc. Eleanor committed thousands of hours of service to veterans and American Indian causes and, in 2003, received the National Veterans Volunteer in Extended Areas award from the DAR National Society in Washington, D.C. She attributed her interest in veterans’ affairs to her father who served in both World Wars and received the Navy Cross for valor.

Eleanor is survived by her sister, Joan Ropke; sister-in-law, Anne Ropke; and cousin, Patricia Updegraf, all of Louisville. She leaves behind her daughter, Lynda and sons, George and Andrew, all of Florida; son, Richard, of Maine; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

She requested any donations in her memory be given to the Heifer International Society or the Scholarship Fund of the Orlando Chapter of DAR.
Care for the MacDonald family has been entrusted to the J.S. Pelkey Funeral Home of Kittery, ME.