Eleanor Jay Schieffelin

Eleanor Jay Schieffelin of Emigrant, Montana, passed away Saturday, December 11, 2021 at Pioneer Medical Center in Big Timber, just shy of her 97th birthday. Cremation took place at Franzen-Davis Crematory and a memorial funeral service will be held this summer, June 26th 2022 at 2pm at St. Mark’s Church, located at 130 S D St, Livingston, MT 59047.

Eleanor was born on January 6, 1925 in New York City. She was the daughter of John Jay Schieffelin (fourth child of Granny Lou and Pop) and Eleanor Beggs Schieffelin.  She grew up in both New York City and Tulsa, Oklahoma and after graduating from Chatham Hall she received her bachelor’s degree from Smith College.

Miss Schieffelin was employed at the United Nations in New York City from 1950 till 1980 serving as an administrative clerk for the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) spanning the first few decades of that organization’s existence.

Soon after, she left New York City for Southwest Harbor, Maine where she and her mother (“Nanny”) lived for a few years before they moved again to Montana.

Eleanor was a seeker. She fully and joyfully embraced the spiritual side of her life becoming a devoted member of the Church Universal and Triumphant which had recently relocated from Malibu to Montana’s Paradise Valley. Now, a resident of Emigrant, near the church’s headquarters, Eleanor lived her dream as a pioneer of this Montana congregation where she designed and built the only adobe home in the region and which often served as a gathering place for church events, family holidays and vacations. She helped build a robust and vibrant community that she loved as much as they loved her. Eleanor invested in and gave special attention to young people and their education, often teaching Sunday School and becoming a loyal patron of the Thomas More Elementary School.

A lover of the outdoors, Eleanor had special memories of a youthful time spent on a dude ranch in Montana– cowboys and songs about cowboys held a lifelong fascination. Her family celebrates that this early foray to the west led to this life in Paradise Valley for more than four decades. She enjoyed annual trips into Yellowstone Park and deeply treasured her home’s view of Emigrant Peak.

Close to her three nephews --- Jay, George and Charlie Potter --- Eleanor relished the family trips they took together to Hawaii and the Southwest. Her nephews also brought out the playful and silly side of Eleanor: singing, joking, and laughing were constant companions when she was in their company.

She leaves behind many friends both in Montana and across the country.  She was especially close to her devoted friend and housemate, Vivien Mason.

She is survived by and will be remembered with special affection by her brother, Johnny Schieffelin and his family of Florence, MA; brother, Joe Schieffelin’s (deceased) children, Joseph Schieffelin, Janie Muller and Theodore Schieffelin all in Colorado; Sally Potter’s (deceased) children, Jay Potter and his wife Brooke Anderson of NYC, George and girlfriend Robin Martin of Emigrant, MT and Charles and Tory Potter of Bellingham, WA and their son, Grant Potter of Sacramento, CA; her half-sister, Clare Brandt’s (deceased) children Diana Boodell of Scarsdale, NY and Colin Brandt of Seattle, WA; her step-sister, Blythe Carr’s (deceased) children Hope Carr Rutland of Scottsdale, Tom Carr of Austin, TX, Ward Carr of Phoenix and Maggie Carr of Phoenix.

Blessed be her memory. Franzen-Davis Funeral Home and Crematory has been entrusted with arrangements.