Elinor M. Abplanalp Obituary (1923

Phelps, Elinor Abplanalp; age 100, of Phelps, NY, passed away on January 3, 2024. Elinor was predeceased by her late husband, Winfred Abplanalp, and is survived by her son, Calvin (Laura) Abplanalp, and grandchildren David, Christine, James, John, and Emily. Elinor is also survived by her daughter, Beverly Abplanalp. Friends may call on Friday, January12, from 4-7 pm at the Cheney Funeral Home 70 Main Street Phelps, NY. Funeral services will be held at 11am on Saturday, January13, at the Clifton Springs United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Rose Cemetery. Elinor was born Elinor Jane Malchoff on October 22, 1923 to parents Carl and Jane Malchoff (predeceased) of Clyde, NY, with her elder brother Godfrey Malchoff (predeceased, Sodus, NY) and her younger brother Keith Malchoff (Clyde, NY). She and her brothers grew up on the family farm. Elinor's mother taught school. In her youth she enjoyed sledding and skiing on the farm. Elinor fondly recalled walking to her small rural schoolhouse and helping her fellow students and her teacher clean up around the rural schoolhouse for Arbor Day. The young children looked forward to cooking hot dogs over the outdoor fire and their walk in the woods to admire the wildflowers during their annual observance. Elinor helped her mother with cooking on the farm, and spoke about her trepidation each time her role was to walk a horse across the road, hitched to a very long rope to lift a hay fork for fear that a car might come racing up the hill. She was not particularly fond nor brave around horses either. Elinor became a highly dedicated teacher, receiving her baccalaureate degree from what is now called SUNY Oswego, and earning her master's degree in education from Syracuse University. She taught students for 21 years and it was during her early teaching career near Oneida, that she met her future husband, Winfred Abplanalp. Following a July wedding in 1951, Elinor and Winfred lived in Boston, MA during his United States Navy Reserves Korean War service. Afterward, they moved to Orchard Park, NY where they lived until 1989. During their years in Orchard Park, Elinor and Winfred raised daughter, Beverly Abplanalp, and son, Calvin Abplanalp and they built a lovely colonial home where they enjoyed planting a large, annual, vegetable garden. Elinor returned to teaching for Orchard Park Central Schools during the 1964/65 school year, first as a substitute teacher and soon thereafter, she taught fifth grade before retiring in 1981. Elinor and Winfred were very active in the Orchard Park United Methodist Church. In 1989, Elinor and Winfred relocated to Phelps, NY to live closer to their son and daughter. During her years in Phelps, Elinor was active in the Phelps United Church and the United Methodist Church in Clifton Springs. Elinor was also a well-read member of the Tuesday Club, a book reading and review group in Phelps, NY. She and Winfred frequently visited their daughter Beverly, and their son Calvin, his wife Laura and their five children in Fairport, NY, and later Bristol, NY. Both Elinor and Winfred were active volunteers with the Ontario County Office for the Aging and they volunteered extensively to create and to curate The Sampson World War II Navy Memorial Museum at Sampson State Park. Elinor remained active in her family's lives after her husband, Winfred, passed in December 2004, driving to grandkids events until around 2017. During her life she experienced riding in horse drawn buggies and flying in jet airplanes. Her many happy memories included summers on the water with Winfred at Green Lake in Orchard Park and Silver Lake near Perry, NY; cabin camping with family and friends in Alleghany State Park; travel in the United States and Canada; a Rhine River Tour in Germany; attendance at her grandkids musical and sporting events; and countless hours with family and friends. Elinor will be deeply missed by many, but we are grateful for her long life and ability to brighten and participate in our lives for so many, many years.