Eleanor M. “Ellie” Bair, 83, longtime resident of Palmyra and more recently of Columbia Cottage near Campbelltown, passed away on Monday June 21, 2021, at the Hershey Medical Center. She was the wife of the late Ronald Bair, who passed away on May 5, 2021. They had celebrated 51 years of marriage.
Eleanor was born in Sunbury, PA on June 23, 1937, to the late Melvin Leroy and Rachael Marie (Barnhart) Smith. She was a 1955 Sunbury High School graduate. She also earned degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Lebanon Valley College in Lab Technology and Biology.
Eleanor worked at Geisinger Medical Center, The Lebanon VA Medical Center, and retired from Hershey Medical Center. While at Hershey she was involved in the research and development of the artificial heart. She was a longtime member and Sunday School teacher at Palmyra Grace Church and later at Bible Fellowship Church of Lebanon. After retirement, she volunteered at Jubilee Ministries and enjoyed her passion for reading, especially her Bible and related writings. Eleanor was a quiet person and had affection for a few special house cats.
She is survived by her sister, Mollie Decker, Sunbury, a nephew Carl M. Decker of New Berlin, and great-nephews Colin and Evan Decker. She was preceded in death by her brother-in-law, Carl.
A funeral service will be held on Monday, June 28, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. from Kreamer Funeral Home and Crematory Inc., 618 E. Main Street, Annville. Interment will follow in South Annville Cemetery. There will be a visitation with the family from 10:00 – 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Jubilee Ministries, 235 2. 12th Street, Lebanon, PA 17042.
