Eleanor Louise (Larsen) McGinnis

Eleanor Louise Larsen McGinnis, 94, passed away on Saturday, November 8, 2025, at St. Joseph of the Pines senior living community, surrounded by her loving family. Eleanor was born in Brooklyn, NY, on November 5, 1931, to Carl Ludvig Larsen and Elisebeth Skeie Larsen of Stavanger, Norway.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Carl Edward Larsen, her sister Helen Mary Larsen Thigpen, her husband Robert Franklin McGinnis, and her granddaughter Deanna Elise Kalevas.

Eleanor is lovingly remembered by her son, Kurt Haefeli and his wife, Yumi, of Mission, Texas; her daughter, Karen Kalevas of Fayetteville; six cherished grandchildren, Kristina Kalevas Camp and her husband, Andy, Bobby Kalevas and his wife, Ani, Chris Kalevas, Melissa Haefeli, Amanda Haefeli, and Jessica Haefeli; and three adored great-grandchildren, Anderson, Austen, and Carson Camp.

Eleanor received an associate’s degree in nursing from Sandhills Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from East Carolina University. She worked as a registered nurse and staff development coordinator at Cape Fear Valley Medical, a nursing instructor at FTCC, a member of both the Cumberland County and NC Boards of Health, and interim director of the Cumberland County Health Department, where she won the 2001 Carl Durham Award for distinguished service to public health in NC.

Eleanor was a member and past president of the Fayetteville Republican Women’s Club, a member of the Cumberland County GOP, a member of the NC Federation of Republican Women, and a member of the National Federation of Republican Women.

Eleanor enjoyed theater, opera, traveling, and spending time with friends and family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at Rogers & Breece Funeral Home at 1 PM on Saturday, November 15, 2025. The family will receive friends at the funeral home before the service, starting at 11 AM. A graveside service will be held at Lafayette Memorial Park after the service, starting at 3 PM.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Eleanor Louise (Larsen) McGinnis, please visit our floral store.