Eleanor Louise Kobel

January 31, 1931 - December 5, 2021

Eleanor L. Kobel, age 90, of Livonia, Michigan, passed away on December 5, 2021 in Plymouth, Michigan. She was born in New Brunswick, NJ on January 27, 1931 and was a long term resident of Berea and North Ridgeville. As a daughter of an Army Colonel, she described her early years as a traveling “Army Brat”, living in many parts of the U.S. and also spending a year in Kobe, Japan. Before college, Eleanor taught English to 10-12 year old children in Kobe during the post WWII occupied Japan. While there she also learned flower arranging, photography skills, and became friends with people on Japan’s Rokkor Mountain (including the founders of the Minolta Camera Company). She taught Home Economics at North Ridgeville High School. Her educational passions were cooking, sewing, knitting, crocheting, practical life skills, and Early Child Development. Attending way too many colleges to list she considered herself a “lifelong constant student.” Eleanor is survived by her children Richard, Robert (Karen) Kobel, Brenda (Ben) Norton, and Kathryn Kobel; grandchildren, Erik, Ryan, William and Laura Kobel, Gretchen, Katie, and Benjy Norton. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 60 years, Bill, parents, Philip E. and Doris Irene (Farmer) Gruber, and her brother, Philip E. Gruber Jr. Friends will be received at Bogner Family Funeral Home, 36625 Center Ridge Road., North Ridgeville on Saturday, December 18th at 1 PM until the time of Service at 2 PM. A private family interment will occur at a later date at the Ohio Western Reserve Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the endowment, Kobel Family Automotive Technology Scholarship, Pittsburg State University, 1701 S. Broadway, Pittsburg, KS 66762, or The National Kidney Foundation.