Eleanor ShawJefferson died peacefully on March 23th in the company of family and loved ones. Please join us for a celebration of her life this Saturday, April 6th from 4:00 – 6:30 p.m. at 2167 W. Wesley Rd., Atlanta, GA 30327.

Eleanor rarely spoke of her guiding principles and priorities, but she didn’t need to. She simply lived them through choices large and small that reflected quiet, uncompromising integrity. Family was always her highest priority and greatest joy, which was abundantly clear across the generations. Her 6 grandchildren often remarked on the intangible gifts she offered: genuine interest, undivided attention, lived values, acceptance, a love of celebration, a connection to places that nourish the spirit, and above all, the certainty of belonging to a large, sometimes chaotic, but always loving extended family.

Eleanor would credit her own parents and upbringing in Dalton, Georgia with instilling these values. She would similarly deflect credit for the work of creating a solid family foundation, citing her partnership with her beloved husband of 52 years, Julian Jefferson. Together and separately they demonstrated lifelong gratitude for a marriage based on profound mutual respect, occasional forbearance, and abiding love.

Eleanor’s humility would have warranted mention of certain other traits. She was famously stubborn and private to the point of inscrutability at times. She had an irreverent sense of humor and was known for offering trenchant commentary on whatever folly was unfolding around her. She was generous with her attention, support, and resources but struggled to accept similar loving expressions from the many people she welcomed into her home. Her silences communicated as much as her statements but either way, the meaning was perfectly clear. Eleanor was smart, disciplined, and complex, but her compassion and generosity of spirit were simple and consistent.