Mary Eleanor Weir

Our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend, Mary Eleanor Weir passed peacefully, with her family by her side, on September 23, 2025, at the age of 81 after a courageous journey with lung cancer. She leaves behind a legacy of love, generosity, and quiet strength that will forever guide those who were blessed to know her.

Born November 10, 1943, in Trinidad, Colorado, to L.D. and Mary Ward, she grew up on the family ranch in Hoehne, Colorado. Life on the ranch shaped her spirit—hard-working, kind, and fiercely independent. Alongside her three sisters and brother, she helped her father with ranch chores and proudly assisted at the rodeos the family produced as stock contractors. Horses, open skies, and the thrill of the rodeo became part of her soul.

A proud graduate of Hoehne High School, Class of 1961, she first attended Trinidad State Junior College, then earned her degree in Home Economics from Panhandle State University. Teaching was her calling. For 29 years she inspired young minds in Trinidad schools and spent an additional two years teaching in Branson, Colorado. Countless students remember her patience, creativity, and the way she made every child feel valued.

Her dedication to youth extended far beyond the classroom. She was a longtime 4-H leader in Hoehne and an active member of the First Christian Church of Trinidad, always ready to lend a hand or a listening ear. She embodied service, believing deeply in helping anyone who needed it—family, friend, or stranger.

Eleanor made her home in Hoehne, CO with her 2 daughters, then in 1983 moved to La Veta, Colorado after marrying Ellis, where together they built a life filled with love, community, and the western traditions they both cherished. After Ellis passed away, she chose in 2023 to move to Goodland, Kansas, to be near her daughter Judy and her beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren, bringing her warmth and gracious spirit to a new circle of friends and neighbors.

Family was her heart. She delighted in every rodeo, every grandchild’s activity, every gathering with her Hobby Club friends. Whether traveling, playing board games, or simply sharing a meal, she cherished time spent with the people she loved most. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were her greatest joy, and she celebrated each of their milestones with pride.

She is preceded in death by her husband Ellis Weir, her parents L.D. and Mary Ward, her sisters Darlene Ward, Elaine Bixby, and Karen McCloy, and her brother Pete Ward.

She is survived by her loving daughters Joanna (Jeff) Mills and Judy (Dave) Goodwin; stepsons Walter Weir and Bob (Daria) Weir; grandchildren Shelbi (Taylor) Brack, Jacee (Tracy) Weeter, Laine Herl, Chayton Goodwin, Layne (Trenton) Mitchek, Sloan Pugh, Chance Weir, Danya Weir, and Caitlin (Kyle) Maxwell; and twelve cherished great-grandchildren who will carry her memory forward with every sunrise.

A true cowgirl through and through, she faced life’s challenges with courage and grace, her spirit as wide and free as the Colorado plains and mountains she called home.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Goodland Regional Medical Center Foundation, or La Veta Booster Club in her honor and may be left at the services or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home, 211 N. Main Ave., Goodland, KS 67735.

Her family takes comfort in knowing that her warm smile, steady faith, and boundless love will live on in all who were fortunate enough to know her.