Eleanor White Lofquist

Cora Eleanor White Lofquist (“Ellima”) of Cullowhee, North Carolina, passed peacefully in her home, joining the love of her life, Henry (“Hennipa”) on January 9, 2026.

Eleanor was born April 3, 1930, to Ray McLee and Carrie Pierce White in Lenoir, NC. From childhood, she demonstrated a strong intellect and loved both literature and music. She was a voracious reader from an early age, finishing Les Misérables in its entirety at the age of eight! In Lenoir High School, she played clarinet, traveling across North Carolina and to different states for performances. Adults in her circle recognized that she was gifted and encouraged her parents to let her be the first in her family to attend college. She won a scholarship to Flora MacDonald College (now St. Andrews), then transferred to UNC-Chapel Hill. She was a proud member of the academic honor society, Phi Beta Kappa.

It was at Chapel Hill, when she was singing in the Glee Club, that she met Henry Lofquist, a music major playing the piano for one of their productions. Both of them quickly knew the other was someone special. Eleanor graduated with English Education and Latin degrees and taught two years in Tarboro, NC. When she and Henry married in 1954, they moved to Asheville, where she taught high school English. She stopped teaching to stay home and raise four children, while Henry trained organists to serve churches in Western NC. When he was offered a job in the Music Department at Western Carolina College (now WCU), they moved their family to Cullowhee in 1965. Eleanor received both a Masters and an Education Specialist Degree from WCU. Her classwork excelled, so in 1969 the Dean of Education asked her to run the Teacher Corps program at WCC. She taught Elementary Education, training teachers in phonics instruction and employing innovative technology that allowed her classes to interview famous writers such as EB White and Judy Blume. Many of her students still use the box of index cards summarizing the many books they read in her Children’s Literature class. Eleanor was the first Director of the Teaching Fellows program at WCU, nurturing students and broadening their horizons through travel to Europe. She was part of the WCU team that taught Jamaican students, making many trips to the island nation. For a time, she served as the Interim Head of WCU’s Elementary Education Department. Eleanor was the State Director for “Odyssey of the Mind.” As a community member, she advocated for local children who needed support to enroll in WCU.

Eleanor and Henry had a remarkable marriage. Together they made music and a loving family. Through these they became one in mind and heart. Their marriage was a true partnership, as they supported each other’s interests, raised children, and completed creative projects. The devotion and respect they had for each other was always visible. When they retired, they took several camping trips across the country to Alaska and had many adventures abroad. Their affection for each other was so obvious that people often asked if they were newlyweds.

Eleanor had many memorable traits and skills. She was both an excellent cook and a master seamstress. Her blackberry dumplings were legendary, and she was so skilled in sewing she could design her own patterns. She was talented in both sculpting and drawing. As a retiree, Eleanor volunteered at the Jackson County Public Library, once receiving the Volunteer of the Year Award. She read every new bestseller that arrived at the library. At home, Eleanor loved cats, gardening, crows, and looking for four-leaf clovers. Her adventurous spirit led her many places, including rafting the length of the Grand Canyon at age 78, boating through the jungle down the Amazon River, and sledding with her great- grandchildren at age 87. Eleanor loved a good joke. Her infectious giggle could escalate into a silent, body-shaking laugh with high-pitched gasps that would send everyone around her into hysterics. Though memories faded, she still loved to play Rummikub and work crossword puzzles. She could still sing La Marseillaise and recite the prologue to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales or the intros to old radio shows like The Lone Ranger. Throughout her life, Ellima possessed a sweet, loving demeanor, which continued to the end.

Eleanor was predeceased by her husband, Henry Lofquist, Jr. and her parents. She is survived by her children, Libby (David) Gutterman, Kathryn (John) Kantz, Victor (Beth) Lofquist, and Becky (Bob) Zelinski, as well as grandchildren: Rachel (Andrew Kline), Elissa (Shaul Avichzer), and Sophie (Bear McBride) Gutterman; Lena Kantz; Daniel (Becky) and Rebecca (Blake Queen) Manring; Eleanor, Emma, and Ava Zelinski, and great-grandchildren: Odaya, Jacob, and Amitai Avichzer; Ava Lamparter and Maverick Manring.

The family would like to thank Ellima’s devoted caregivers: Gina, Valerie, Sue, Mary, Cat, and Debbie, along with Four Seasons Hospice Nurses Ravin and Ashley and Dr. Hinton, all of whom helped make her feel comfortable and loved in her final years.

The family will receive visitors at Appalachian Funeral Services at 12:00 pm on Monday, January 19, followed by a Celebration of Life at 1:00 pm in their chapel. A private burial will follow.

In lieu of flowers, Eleanor requested donations be made to The Nature Conservancy (nature.org).