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Eloise Van Niel died peacefully surrounded by her family on December 15, 2017, at the age of 94. Eloise lived for almost fifty years on Maunalani Heights in Honolulu with her husband, Bob Van Niel (1922-2011). Eloise was born in 1922 in Cleveland, Ohio, was graduated from the College of Wooster in Ohio, and received graduate degrees in Library Science from Case Western Reserve University and the University of Hawaii. She was working as a librarian at Cornell University when she met Robert Van Niel, a high school classmate and PhD student in history at Cornell. Bob and Eloise were then married for 61 years. Eloise's love of the arts, intellectual curiosity, warm hospitality and ability to be a friend were evident in all the places she and Bob lived around the world. Friends remember her bustling around the lanai, offering pupus, wearing muumuus and talking about favorite authors. Eloise often shared her experiences and reflections in written memoirs, poems and research publications which reflected her keen observations, humor and courageous embrace of new cultures. Eloise pursued her library career at the University of Hawaii and the Hawaii State Library System. Before her retirement, she was the Arts Librarian for the State of Hawaii, a job she said was her favorite job as it gave her the ability to build a collection of books and music for future generations. In 2013, Eloise moved to Boston to be closer to her son Anthony and his family. She is also survived by her daughter Penny of Hong Kong, three grandchildren, Clara, Noah and Nicholas, and one great grandchild, Vincent. Donations in Eloise's memory may be made to the Honolulu Museum of Art School.
Eloise Van Niel died peacefully surrounded by her family on December 15, 2017, at the age of 94. Eloise lived for almost fifty years on Maunalani Heights in Honolulu with her husband, Bob Van Niel (1922-2011). Eloise was born in 1922 in Cleveland, Ohio, was graduated from the College of Wooster in Ohio, and received graduate degrees in Library Science from Case Western Reserve University and the University of Hawaii. She was working as a librarian at Cornell University when she met Robert Van Niel, a high school classmate and PhD student in history at Cornell. Bob and Eloise were then married for 61 years. Eloise's love of the arts, intellectual curiosity, warm hospitality and ability to be a friend were evident in all the places she and Bob lived around the world. Friends remember her bustling around the lanai, offering pupus, wearing muumuus and talking about favorite authors. Eloise often shared her experiences and reflections in written memoirs, poems and research publications which reflected her keen observations, humor and courageous embrace of new cultures. Eloise pursued her library career at the University of Hawaii and the Hawaii State Library System. Before her retirement, she was the Arts Librarian for the State of Hawaii, a job she said was her favorite job as it gave her the ability to build a collection of books and music for future generations. In 2013, Eloise moved to Boston to be closer to her son Anthony and his family. She is also survived by her daughter Penny of Hong Kong, three grandchildren, Clara, Noah and Nicholas, and one great grandchild, Vincent. Donations in Eloise's memory may be made to the Honolulu Museum of Art School.
Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased
