Eleanor “Bop” Giving, age 98, of New Prague, died Wednesday, December 3, 2014, at Mala Strana Health Care Center.  Eleanor was born April 22, 1916 in  St. Francis, Minnesota to Owen O. & Maud M. (Small) Evans.  She attended Minneapolis South High School and on August 3, 1940, Eleanor married Irvin M. Giving at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.  Eleanor was a homemaker all her life, raising the couple’s 3 children, while becoming an accomplished, self-taught artist.  She took organ lessons in her 70’s and played Happy Birthday for herself to the hospice nurses for her 98th birthday.  She painted acrylic creations on shirts, quilts, and on glass.  Bop was featured in New Prague Times articles twice for her hand-painted quilts and other artwork.  An artist to the end, she continued to paint into the last 3 months at the nursing home.   Eleanor enjoyed gardening, especially prize-winning irises, and was a member of the Minneapolis Garden Club, and the Minneapolis Firemen’s Ladies Auxiliary.  Appropriate to her name, “Giving”, she gave most of her art work to others; she was selfless and always put other’s needs before her own.  She kept her mind sharp with her enjoyment of crossword puzzles, cribbage, Wheel of Fortune, and keeping score playing “Piggy” with the family.

Eleanor is survived by her children, Carol (& Tom) Stidger of New Prague, Nancy Giving of Overland Park, KS, Reid Giving of Everett, WA; 6 grandchildren, Robb Stidger, Rick (& Gabrielle) Stidger, Amy (& James) Lemieux, Brant (& Liz) Ronning, Jeanne (& Jim) Marmon, Katie Ronning; great-grandchildren, Amber (& Andrew) Barraclough, Natalie & Alayna Marmon, Alivia, Annalee, Ashton, & Jack Stidger;  great-great-grandchildren, Emery & Cooper Barraclough.  She is preceded in death by her husband, Irvin on October 22, 1987; her great-grandson, Jameson Reid Stidger; brothers, Johnny & Morris Evans; sisters, Jeanette Evans & Margaret Warner.