Eleanore H (Hunt) Vail

Eleanore Hunt Vail, September 28, 1924 - April 17, 2019. Eleanore Hunt Vail was born in Normal, Illinois to parents Mildred (Lundeen) and Fredrick B. Hunt. Growing up in Park Ridge, Illinois a suburb of Chicago, she graduated from Park Ridge High School. Eleanore attended the University of Rochester, Eastman School of Music earning her Bachelors of Music and Masters of Music. She began her teaching career at Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio in 1947. She remained there until the college closed in 1974. After a year teaching at Miami University, Eleanore found she preferred a small liberal arts school teaching at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana until her retirement in 1994. Long after her retirement she maintained her connection with Earlham by organizing the Meeting House Concert Series and participating in musical events. Throughout her career she continued her studies both in the United States and abroad and to play professionally both as a piano soloist and accompanist. Eleanore and Paul M. Vail, Professor of Economics at Miami married in 1948. Together, they raised 2 daughters, Sarah and Martha juggling careers and family without skipping a note. They loved visiting family, traveling abroad, and camping in the National Parks until Paul passed away in 1999. For the past 15 years Eleanore was blessed with companionship of David Scotford, Professor of Geology (retired) at Miami until David passed away in January 2019. Their relationship brought with it the wonderful family of David’s children and grandchildren. David shared her love of travel, visiting family, both hers and his, and introduced her to sailing off the coast of Naples, Florida where they spent winters. Eleanore especially loved visiting her brother, Dr. Thomas K. Hunt who passed away In February 2019 and his wife Evelyn in San Francisco. Eleanore was a member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church nearly all of her adult life and was instrumental in the churches long standing reputation for exceptional music and organizing many concerts performed by herself, local professionals and many visiting professionals. Eleanore leaves behind daughters Sarah (Steve) Pace and Martha (Brian) Bayorgeon, grandchildren Jenny Pace (Jim Beauford), Zack Pace (Kelly), Rebecca Pace (Antonio Shines), Hunter Johnson and Teal Johnson, seven great grandchildren, two sister in-laws Evelyn Hunt and Margaret Vail, and many nieces and nephews. She also leaves behind David’s wonderful family which became hers, Barbara Scotford, Nancy Scotford, Laura Scotford (Mark Fedora), Mark (Gylaine) Gilmore and granddaughters Adrienne and Rachel Fedora. A memorial service for Eleanore will take place at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 25 E. Walnut Street, Oxford, Ohio at 1:00pm Saturday, June 22, 2019, with a reception at The Knolls of Oxford after. Memorials given to Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in lieu of flowers are preferred. 

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