Eloise Yeager
May 30, 1945 -
Jul 10, 2026
As she wished, Eloise Yeager's ashes were scattered in Monterey Bay, Calif., surrounded by breaching humpback whales, sea lions and sea birds. Her sister and her family tossed in the sea flower leis and notes to her written on sand dollars. Eloise was deeply loved and will be greatly missed.
Eloise passed on July 10, 2026, of end stage frontal temporal degeneration. Born Eloise Stone in Payson, Utah, in 1945, the rebellious little Mormon girl used to hide her shoes so she wouldn't have to go to church and was non-participating to the end. Eloise grew up in Fair Oaks, Calif., near Sacramento.
After high school, while attending beautician school, she met Kirk at Rick's Drive In, in Orangevale, Calif., where she bought him a hamburger. Kirk knew a good thing and they married in 1964 and had three children. She was predeceased by their infant daughter, Lisa; brother, Larry Stone; and parents, Ralph and Verna Stone. She is survived by her husband, Kirk; son, Eric (Cassey); daughter, Erin Stender (Alan); granddaughter, Savannah Martin (Garrett); great-granddaughter, Rory Eloise Marti; and granddaughter, Shelby Stender; as well as brother, Clyde Stone; and sister, Sheri Granlee (Gary).
Eloise was a devoted wife and mother and a very proud "Nana" and "Great Nana."
As a young working mother, Eloise represented the California Almond Growers as the Sacramento area "Queen of Transportation." Kirk jokingly referred to her as the "Mother Trucker of the Year."
In 1975, construction of the trans-Alaska pipeline drew the young family north. Eloise was the office manager for a CPA firm in Anchorage, Alaska, for many years.
Eloise was up for anything! In Alaska she started riding motorcycles solo at age 50. She was a softball player, a bowler and a walker. We can picture her long walks singing to her Boston terrier companion, Muggs. She enjoyed gardening, quilting, cooking and baking. We miss her touch on her favorite recipes.
The couple retired in 2000 and traveled the west for two years in their RV, which carried along two Harley motorcycles. They settled in Yerington, Nev., in 2002, and built a new home seven miles south of town.
Eloise had a form of Frontal Temporal Degeneration (FTD). The Yerington Senior Center was essential in keeping Eloise engaged in life and engaged in the community. Until 2020, she volunteered for many years to serve lunches at the center.
Eloise first noticed minor speech difficulty in 2007; in 2010, she was diagnosed with the agrammatic form of Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) a rare form of FTD. Initially affecting speech, the later stages of the disease was complicated by apraxia and visual/spatial processing issues. Eloise took in information, but had difficulty getting information out. We are grateful the progression was lengthy, as most patients progress at a much quicker rate.
In 2011, Eloise volunteered for research studies at Northwestern University's Mesulam Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, https://www.brain.northwestern.edu, in Chicago, Ill. She made 10 trips to the institute over the years, and her contribution to the research has been significant. She donated her brain to the institute at end of life. We are so proud of her.
As a research participant we received patient and caregiver counseling. Eloise received a referral to a speech therapist appropriate for PPA, in which she participated for seven years. Her contribution to the research was fulfilling for her and helped in coping with her predicament.
Our recommendation is to participate at your local Senior Center. The seniors knew and accepted Eloise; it's a comfortable place to be and we are grateful. It also keeps you engaged!
Secondly, give back! If you have memory issues and if possible, volunteer at the nearest memory research center. It can be fulfilling and you will contribute to a future treatment.
In remembrance, donations can be made to the Yerington Senior Center or the Mesulam Institute.
