Eleanor (Ellie) Danysh Lerro, 89 years old, passed away on March 1, 2019.  She was born on a farm in Karnes County, Texas to Benedict Joseph Danysh and Mary Adele Lempa Danysh on December 3, 1929.  Ellie attended Karnes City High School until her senior year then moved to San Antonio to live with her sister, Rosemary, whose husband was serving overseas in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a combat pilot in World War II.  She graduated from Brackenridge High School in San Antonio in 1947.

Aspiring to be a school teacher like one of her aunts, she decided early in life that she did not wish to spend her life on a farm.  Mostly supporting herself since age 16, she had numerous jobs most of which she enjoyed.  Wherever she went, she found some helpful and caring people.  Being unable to afford the cost of college, she appealed to the Zonta Club of San Antonio for financial assistance.  She needed $210.00 to enroll in a hospital nursing program.  The loan was quickly granted.  She enrolled at the Charity Hospital School of Nursing in New Orleans in 1949 and in 3 years, completed the diploma program as a Registered Nurse graduating at the top of her class with honors.

She returned to San Antonio to work in a doctor's office while preparing to enter the U.S. Air Force Nurse Corps.  She enjoyed her service in the Air Force but after 3 years, returned to Texas to join the Air Force Reserve Corps and to enter the University of Texas in Austin to earn a Baccalaureate degree in Nursing.  Afterward she was employed by the City Health Department in San Antonio for several years.  Being very interested in public health, she applied for a USPHS grant which enabled her to attain a master's degree in Public Health Nursing and Education from the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.  After graduation, she became an instructor of Public Health Nursing at the U.T. School of Nursing in Galveston, Texas.

While there, she met Santino ("San") J. Lerro, M.D., Col. U.S. Army, who had recently retired and completed a master's degree at the University of California in Berkeley, was newly employed as the Director of the Galveston County Health Department in La Marque, Texas.  He also taught U.T. medical and U.T. nursing students.  He and Ellie had been working together for about 2 years when they decided to get married.  They had become soul mates before their marriage.  Both were devout Catholics; they enjoyed teaching and working together.

Ellie was predeceased in death by her parents; beloved husband; sister, Rosemary Danysh Tull; sister Helen Danysh; niece Amy Sanders; son-in-law Dr. John Olness; step-granddaughter, Susan Lerro; and step-grandson Major Richard Lerro.

Survivors are: sister, Elizabeth Russell (Kenneth); sister, Kathryn Goodrich (James); brother, Richard Danysh Sr.; brother, Ralph (Nikki); 9 nieces; 7 nephews; step-daughter Margaret Olness; and 5 step-grandchildren.  In addition, the family would like to give special thanks to Tiffany Sipe for her devotion, kindness and loving care of Ellie during her final years.

FUNERAL SERVICES

The family will receive friends Thursday, March 14, 2019 beginning at 8:00 A.M. at

St. Peter Prince of Apostles Catholic Church

with a Rosary to be recited at 8:30 A.M.,

followed by the Funeral Mass to be offered at 9:00 A.M.

Interment will follow at

Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery

MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to

Catholic Relief Services

P.O. Box 17090

Baltimore, Maryland  21298-9664

or charity of choice