Eleanor Pistorius

Eleanor Anne (Brown) Pistorius, 92, of Forsyth, IL peacefully passed away Sunday, February 10, 2019 at 9:15am in Hickory Point Christian Village. Services to celebrate her life will be held at First Christian Church, 3350 N. MacArthur Rd, Decatur, IL at 5:30pm on Friday, February 15, 2019 with a visitation prior to the service from 3:30-5:30pm. There will be a private interment in Brown Cemetery. Eleanor Anne was born November 22, 1926 in Decatur, IL, the daughter of Marshall and Eleanor Ann (Hill) Brown. She married John W. Pistorius on June 12, 1949 at First Baptist Church in Decatur, IL. He preceded her in death on October 5, 1999. Eleanor Anne attended Illinois Wesleyan University before transferring to the University of Missouri, Kansas City Conservatory of Music, Kansas City, MO where she graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. She was deeply involved with music throughout her life, including solo performances, private teaching, directing church choirs at First Christian Church, Blue Mound and First United Methodist church of Moweaqua, as well as the Brown Cousins Family Choir. She accompanied music students in the schools and taught music at Boody and Blue Mound Grade Schools as well as St. Patrick Catholic School in Decatur. Eleanor Anne sang with the Grace Notes, was a long-time member of the Decatur Symphony Guild and volunteered with the DMH Auxiliary. All of these were enrichments of her chosen primary lifework as a homemaker. She is survived by her children, Tim (Carolyn) Pistorius, Decatur, IL, Barbara (Greg) Thiele, Blue Mound, IL, Tom (Peggy) Pistorius, Forsyth, IL; grandchildren, Jill (Chris) Jones, Pete (Megan) Pistorius, Katie (Craig) Paulek, Molly (Shane) Major, Neysa (Darrin) Downs, Shay (Heidi) Thiele, Kalyn (William) Holdener, Chloe Pistorius, Stein (Birgit) Villumstad (Norwegian AFS Student), 17 great grandchildren, sisters-in-law, Betty Jean Brown, Roberta Brown, Dorothy Seagle, Carolyn Brown, and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by brothers, Harold, Ira, Byron, Carroll, Richard, and Robert, sister Elizabeth Morris, sisters-in-law June Brown, Imogene Brown, Nitelle Brown, Evelyn Brown and brothers-in-law, Paul Seagle and Richard Morris. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Christian Church Arts Academy for the training and development of young artists in music and fine arts.