Eleanor Edith Depue Veazey, 89, of Madisonville, formerly of Hanson, died at 4:10 A.M. on February 8, 2011 at the Joseph "Eddie" Ballard Western Kentucky Veterans Center in Hanson.

She was born May 7, 1921 in Denver, Colorado, the daughter of Carl and May Hiller Depue. Her mother died when Eleanor was eight years old. Her childhood and teenage years were spent in Orlando, Florida.

At the age of twenty she secured a position as a stenographer with the U.S. War Department in Washington, D.C., where she was employed when Pearl Harbor was attacked. In January, 1944 she joined the U.S. Navy as a Wave. She was assigned to Camp Elliot near San Diego, California, as a Yeoman, Second Class.

On July 1, 1944, at a function for service people at San Diego's First Baptist Church, she met Leroy Veazey, a sailor from Kentucky. After a whirlwind courtship of three months, she and Leroy were married at the First Baptist Church of San Diego on September 30, 1944.

After World War Two ended, she and Leroy made their home in San Diego, where a son, David, was born in 1948. In August, 1950, they moved to Kentucky and bought Leroy's childhood home in Shakerag. One month later, a second son, Carl, was born.

Eleanor was active in various church activities, as well as the Historical Society of Hopkins County, AARP, Young At Heart, and other organizations. She taught Sunday school for several years, and was a member of First Baptist Church in Madisonvile.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Justin Leroy Veazey on July 14, 2010, her parents, and by a sister, June Stafford, of Sacramento, California.

Surviving are her sons, David Leroy (Nancy) Veazey of Ocala, Florida, and Carl Michael (Beckye) Veazey of Hanson, grandchildren, Emily Nicole Veazey of Hanson, Kristen Marie (Jarrod) Gavagni, of Sebring, Florida, Justin Michael Veazey of Madisonville, and William David Veazey of Ocala, Florida. Eleanor is also survived by a great-grandson, Justin Wyatt Gavagni, of Ocala, Florida, as well as nieces, nephews, and a host of friends.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 A.M. Friday, February 11, 2011 at First Baptist Church in Madisonville with Dr. Joe Leonard and Reverend Sam Beeny officiating. Burial will follow at Olive Branch Cemetery in Hanson.

Visitation will be from 4 P.M. until 7 P.M. Thursday at Harris Funeral Home in Madisonville and from 9 A.M. until the funeral hour at First Baptist Church. Military rites will be conducted graveside by the United States Navy.

Memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church of Madisonville, Historical Society of Hopkins County, and the Activities Department of the Joseph "Eddie" Ballard Western Kentucky Veterans Center.

Active pallbearers will be Scott Veazey, Lee Veazey, Joe Clark, Shane Clark, Shawn Clark, and Larry Book. Honorary pallbearers will be: Emily Veazey, Justin Veazey, Kristen Gavagni, William Veazey. Lee Ann Street, Lillian Nichols, Myra Young, Doris Veazey, Eddie Ballard, Rae Ballard, Donna Sisk, C.L. Moman. Emerson Lutz, Paul Hinton, Etta Joines, Judy Clark, Sarah Jeter, Larry Mahurin, Dick Blue, Barry Corum, Jerry Duncan, Danny Coffman, Bill Smith, Heather Kittinger, Jim Knue, Jesse McGary, Amzia Wheeler, Chester Duncan, James Parker and Wanda Duncan.