Eleanor Hazel (Tweed) Demeulemeester

Mrs. Eleanor Hazel Demeulemeester (Tweed), loving wife of Maurice Alois Jules Demeulemeester, mother of Teresa, Joanne, Rhonda, and Nicole, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully at the Deloraine Health Centre on Tuesday, January 28, 2025 at the age of 83.  Mom laid down her baking utensils for the last time.

Eleanor was born October 31, 1941 to Thornton and Hazel Tweed (Mann) at the family farm in the Medora district.  She attended Medora school and spent considerable time studying music.  She spent her early years with her best friend, Ilene Dekeyser (Vandaele) who lived just across the road. They remained best friends until Ilene passed in 2000.  Maurice and Eleanor met at a dance in Melita at the age of 16.  They were married at the bride’s parental home on February 26, 1960.  They farmed on 3-3-25 in the Brenda municipality until October 2004 when they moved to Melita.  Their four daughters were raised on the farm and worked alongside Mom and Dad.  

Eleanor’s pride and joy was baking goodies to give to family and friends and playing with her grandchildren.  They all have fond memories of the farm.  Eleanor and Maurice enjoyed their vegetable garden.   She was definitely not a flower person but she always had a bountiful harvest from her vegetable garden.  We enjoyed frozen peas, beans and corn as well as dill and beet pickles.  Mom loved to bake and she made terrific fudge, shortbread, brownie cake, hello dolly, ginger snaps, chocolate chip cookies, banana chocolate chip muffins, lemon loaf, crazy cake with brown sugar icing and pistachio salad in the green bowl.  And we cannot forget her lasagna nor her sweet and sour meatballs.  Mom’s best moments were spending time in the kitchen baking at the kitchen table.  She never baked at the kitchen counter.  We will all miss her biscuits, homemade bread and buns, rice pudding and chocolate slice.  Her freezer and cupboards were always well stocked and once she knew what your favorite dessert/food was you did not leave her house without something to take with you.

Eleanor had friends of all ages and she was an adopted Mom and Grandma to many of them. Mom valued keeping in touch with her family and friends. As her hearing deteriorated, she taught herself how to text in order to communicate with people. Everyone who knew Mom had some interesting conversations with her via text!

She loved to tell stories of the "trouble" she got into when she was younger and how she vowed "never to grow up".  She was always a kid at heart and that's probably why her grandchildren adored her so much.  We all have big shoes to fill with our own grandchildren, she was who we ALL aspired to be.  

Eleanor and Maurice, Bill and Ilene, Donald and Audrey, and Willie and Nancy spent lots of time socializing together over the years.  Eleanor and Maurice went on a bus trip to Nashville in 1984.  For their 25th wedding anniversary their children surprised them with a trip to Niagara Falls and a visit to Dad’s cousins in Delhi Ontario.  

She was predeceased by her parents, Thornton and Hazel Tweed (Mann); brother, Donald Tweed; two brothers-in-law, Willie Cloet and Murray Jordan; also, son-in-law, Rick DeBacker.

Eleanor is survived by her husband, Maurice, this February 26th would have been their 65th wedding anniversary. Four daughters, Teresa (Thomas Hodge), Joanne (Ron Minne), Rhonda (Doug Kelly), and Nicole (Bob Elliott); nine grandchildren: Tyler DeBacker (Jamie), Kaitlyn DeBacker, Brittany Tesfai (Temesgen), Marinna Minne (Ben Mikoluff), MacKenzie Campbell (Landon), Matthew Zegalski, Andrea Elliott (Colten White), Emily Elliott (Mitch Schuddemat), and Brenden Kelly (Candice); eight great-grandchildren: Brooklyn & Harper DeBacker, Olivia & Emma Campbell, Meksen Tesfai, Averie, Regan & Nathan Kelly; sister, Nancy Cloet; two sisters-in-law, Doris Jordan and Audrey Tweed.  She is also survived by her dear friends Tammy Thomson, Sheila Tilbury and Walker as well as her cousin Ralph Tweed (her early morning visitor). 

Mom will be missed forever by her family, friends, neighbors and anyone else that had the pleasure to know her.

A public graveside service to celebrate Eleanor’s life was held at the Medora Cemetery, Medora, MB. on Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. Following the graveside service a luncheon was held at the Melita Drop-In Centre.                                                      

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Eleanor may be directed to a charitable cause of your choice or to the Melita Food Pantry, Box 821, Melita, MB. R0M 1L0 or    The Children’s Hospital of Winnipeg, 840 Sherbrook Street, Winnipeg, MB. R3A 1S1.

Your light will always shine in our hearts.

Your light was a blessing, your pantry a treasure,

You are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure.

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Eleanor Hazel (Tweed) Demeulemeester, please visit our Tree Store.