Read during the Memorial Service on March 11, 2017, by Elinor's nephew Adam Clarke. You can also listen to the audio.

Elinor was born to Pieter and Edith Kool on January 8, 1971 at Women's College Hospital in Toronto. She was raised in Mississauga, on Belfast Crescent and was the older sister of Andrea and Cathy. As a child, she attended Sheridan Park Public School, Homelands Senior Public School, and Erindale Secondary School. Elinor took a leap year where she was part of the Rotary exchange program and lived in Denmark. On her return, Elinor attended the University of Toronto, Mississauga Campus for her Undergraduate Degree.

With her family, she attended Toronto United Mennonite Church often referred to as 'TUMC', where many of her best friendships were formed. In the summers, she swam at the local pool, learned to sail at the Port Credit Yacht Club, and had holidays at Scarcliffe with close family friends. The highlight of every summer was going to Silver Lake Mennonite Camp where many more lifelong friendships were formed.

She loved to learn and share. Musically, she learned piano and violin and participated in the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra, as well as playing piano in church.

Elinor quickly worked her way through all the swimming levels and became a lifeguard. She became part of the South Common Pool community, where she worked throughout high school and university. She kept going and became a Lifeguard Instructor and Examiner and a CPR Instructor.

Although she was in the water, her eyes were on the clouds. Elinor saved her money and obtained her pilot's license.

At Silver Lake Mennonite Camp, she was a camper, CILT, counselor, head lifeguard, CILT Leader, and board member and, in later years, a volunteer.

In her TUMC Community, she was a youth group leader, a member of the Church Board, a member of the Caring Team and a board member of St. Clair O'Connor.

Her first "real" office job began at Motorola where she worked for the next 10 years in the cellular and security divisions and later as executive assistant to the President of Motorola Canada. She contributed on the United Way campaigns at work and loved that she had a generous employer that would match her donations to the charities she held dear. She actively participated on Motorola’s Dragon Boat team and other fund raising initiatives like Climbing the CN Tower. Her role there gave her the opportunity to travel across North America and allowed her to lead a team to China.

Through a mutual friend, she was introduced to Peter Hansen. The Danish connection, being a charming, thoughtful guy who brought laughter to her with his whimsical humor made him irresistible. The rest is history. They married on July 17, 2004 in their backyard on Willis Place in Uxbridge, where I was their ringbearer. They were blessed with their daughter Lynda on October 19, 2005. Since family had always been a focus in Elinor's life, after Lynda arrived she dove in to being a full-time mother and wife.

The family began attending Rouge Valley Mennonite Church and Elinor became an active member, teaching Sunday School, playing piano and serving in other roles.

Once Lynda was old enough, Elinor was elated to introduce her family to Silver Lake by volunteering there with Peter while Lynda attended camp.

Elinor volunteered at Lynda's school, Quaker Village Public School, where she ran the junior choir, started and managed the drum club, tutored students in reading, and helped with the fund-raising pizza days.

She returned to working life with a part-time job at Uxbridge-based Cottage Country Travel. Several years later, her involvements with the school led her to successfully seek election as a Trustee on the Durham District School Board, representing the Brock and Uxbridge Townships.

In the fall of 2016 she developed liver problems which led to hospitalization. Over several weeks, she was finally diagnosed with celiac disease and enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma, a rare form of cancer. Just before her fourth chemotherapy treatment, liver problems manifested themselves again, putting cancer treatment on hold. Several weeks later she was hospitalized and, after bravely fighting for ten days, she passed away on March 7, 2017, at 2:20am in Markham Stouffville Hospital. We are so thankful to have had Elinor in our lives and grieve that her life was cut so short.