Eleanor Campbell Hamby Ralston's Obituary
Eleanor Campbell Hamby Ralston born November 25th, 1930, age 81, passed away on March 28th, 2012. She died peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family and friends. ?á A true coal miner?ÇÖs daughter, Eleanor, along with her brother Bill and her sister Gloria June, grew up in the community of Springdale, West Virginia. Her mother Grace instilled a thirst for learning and a love of education; Eleanor went on to become an elementary school teacher. After graduating from Concord College in Athens, West Virginia, she married Jack Mitchell and moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where they welcomed three daughters. In Atlanta, she was an elementary school teacher for over twenty years. Her teaching career was eventually exchanged when she moved to Sanibel Island where she and her late husband Mack Hamby, Jr. were co-owners of the Tarpon Bay Marina. Eleanor and Mack later moved their business to Fort Myers Beach where they ran the Tarpon Bay Shell Shop for many years. In 1998, Eleanor was named by the Fort Myers Beach American Business Women?ÇÖs Association as Boss of the Beach. With the closing of Tarpon Bay Shell Shop in 2004 she found a new life happily retired with husband Thomas Ralston. She will be remembered as an inspirational educator to her students, a willing mentor to her children and extended family, and the welcoming face of Fort Myers Beach to the thousands of visitors that came through Tarpon Bay Shell Shop each year. ?á Eleanor is survived by: her sister Gloria June Bridges and husband Dale Bridges; her four children: Wade Hamby and wife Pam Hamby, Deborah Cobain and husband Mark Cobain, Mike Hamby, Rebecca Clements and husband Nicholas Clements; her six grandchildren: Rachel Eubanks, Walker Hamby, Mack Hamby, Ian Clements, Catherine Brotherton, and Hayley Clements; and her two great-grandchildren Jacob and Graham Eubanks. ?á There will be a visitation on Friday from 1:00 to 2:00 PM at Fort Myers Memorial Gardens Funeral Home.?á Funeral will begin at 2:00 PM followed by burial in Fort Myers Memorial Gardens Cemetery.?á ?á Memorial contributions may be made to Hope Hospice, www.hopehcs.org/donate/.?á?á Condolences?ámay be left at www.fortmyersmemorial.com.
What’s your fondest memory of Eleanor?
What’s a lesson you learned from Eleanor?
Share a story where Eleanor's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Eleanor you’ll never forget.
How did Eleanor make you smile?