Eleanor Elizabeth McCollum

Eleanor E. McCollum age 101 of Fairfield, Ohio passed away peacefully Tuesday evening, September 29, 2026 at her home. She was born in Hamilton, Ohio on October 25, 1924, the daughter of Frederick and Margaret (Krusyewski) Sauerbeck Jr. The second of three girls in the Sauerbeck family, she attended Fairfield schools and graduated in 1942. She went on to obtain her B.A. degree from Miami University in 1946. After that, she attended Dietician training at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati, and then returned to work at Miami as a Dietician. She married Galen L. McCollum on September 8, 1947 and shortly thereafter, they began their family. Galen preceded her in death on March 7, 2000.

“Sis” as she was known to most people, was a profoundly loved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was faithful to the LORD, to her family - and to her garden. She had a prolific “green thumb” and loved few things in life more than working in her garden, and getting her hands dirty growing tomatoes, squash, peppers, beans, okra and whatever else she could get in the ground. She would then sell the produce to others, at the vegetable stand in her front yard. When the weather outside wasn’t suitable for work in the garden, she loved growing all sorts of houseplants inside - which routinely outgrew their pots and would then have to be broken into smaller plants and re-potted to continue their thriving growth.

After the garden was “in the ground”, and school was out for the summer, Eleanor would accompany her husband Galen, and other family members to Lake Vermilion in Tower, MN, where she engaged in another of her favorite activities – fishing! Trolling her “Lazy Ike” for walleye and bass was how she liked fishing the most. And she would frequently out-fish her husband and children with her quiet, unassuming, other-side-of-the-boat style of reeling the fish in, using her favorite lure.

After her children were all school-age, Eleanor served the Fairfield City School District as an elementary school substitute teacher. Often taking long-term substitute teaching assignments, and even helping her sister, Lois when her eyesight started to become problematic.

Ever the teacher, Eleanor taught 3rd Grade Sunday School to children at St. Marks United Methodist Church for 30 years! Many of her former students, and her own children, gained a solid foundation of Christian Bible basics thanks to her dedication and perseverance in sharing her time, teaching talent and love with those in her classes.

Just as strong as her love for growing things, fishing, and teaching Sunday School, was her love for family. With her background in food and nutrition, and as a founding member of the “Clean Plate Club”, her family always had a balanced meal on the table each time, and finished whatever was placed in front of them. Her husband, children, daughters & sons-in-law and all their children were always welcome, and always knew they were loved and cherished. Her strong love for her family kept her going. Later in life, after her husband Galen had passed, the “McCollum women” would annually take a trip to a fun location and enjoy seeing the sights, taking in the entertainment, eating the local food, and just reveling in the life they had been blessed with. Countless memories, photos, stories and laughs would be shared and re-shared for years after each of those trips.

She will be tremendously missed by all her loved ones and friends, but we all look forward to that glorious day when we’ll all see “Sis and Gay” once again, on the other side of this life.

Survivors include six children, Larry Joseph (Doris) McCollum of Hamilton, Barbara (Chad) Hill of Wilmington, N.C., Fred (Carol) McCollum of Hamilton, Rick McCollum (Tom Love) of Louisville, KY, Greta Smith of Fairfield, John (Lynne) McCollum of Liberty TWP, OH; twelve grandchildren; and sixteen great grandchildren.

Besides her husband and parents, she was also preceded in death by two sisters, Margaret Lunsford and Lois Montgomery; two brothers-in-law, Robert Lunsford and Bill Montgomery.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00am Thursday October 8, 2026 in the Zettler Funeral Home, 2646 Pleasant Ave., with Rev. Brian Choi officiating. Visitation will be from 10:00am-11:00am Thursday October 8, 2026 in the funeral home. Following the service, burial will be in Rose Hill Burial Park, 2421 Princeton Rd, Hamilton, OH 45011. Online register book at www.zettlerfuneralhome.com.