Eleanor C. Caven

Eleanor (Tacheny) Caven, age 99, died on June 18, 2026, at Pathstone Living in Mankato.

Memorial Mass will be held at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Mankato on Saturday, September 19, 2026, with visitation beginning at 10:30 a.m. and Mass at 12 p.m., Noon. Lunch will follow. Private burial at St. Matthew’s Cemetery in Vernon Center. Mankato Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Eleanor was born on September 22, 1926, in Mankato to Magdalen and John S. Tacheny. She attended SS Peter and Paul grade school and Loyola High School. She loved farm life, grew up with five siblings and was very active in 4-H, crediting it for her homemaking skills. She was proud of her 4-H Victory Garden during the war years of the 1940’s and enjoyed playing piano and ukelele. She grew up never lacking in appreciation of earth’s beauty.

After high school, Eleanor was employed in the office at Hubbard Milling. She then joined the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps program at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester and graduated as an RN in 1948. She was employed at Immanuel - St. Joseph Hospital in Mankato for a total of 23 years. Eleanor married William (Bill) in 1950 and they farmed near Vernon Center. They were members of St. Matthew’s Catholic Church where Eleanor was active with CCW, Catholic Rural Life, choir, CCD, tri-parish council, and served as lector and Eucharistic minister. Eleanor and Bill raised nine children and instilled in them a love of family, a joy of laughter, and an appreciation of hard work resulting in a job well-done.

Quilting became Eleanor’s passion after retiring, resulting in treasured gifts for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as hundreds of adult and baby quilts for the missions. Over the years, she was active in several groups, including Amboy Lions, American Legion Auxiliary, American Red Cross and VFW.

After Bill died, Eleanor moved to Mankato, where she continued her beautiful flower gardens and made many more quilts with the women of her parish, St. Joseph the Worker. She was always sewing something for someone, baking something delicious, tending her gardens, playing games or following the Twins or Vikings.

Eleanor was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Bill; her parents; mother-in-law Catherine Caven; son Matthew Caven; grandson Kevin Burger; daughter-in-law, Patrice (Hawker) Caven; siblings Cletus Tacheny, Sr. Mary Tacheny, Delphine Lovell, Louise Czaplewski; and many beloved in-laws.

Eleanor is survived by children, Mary, Michael (Barbara), Daniel, Joseph (Beatrice), Margaret, Louise (Jeff) Burger, John (Mary) and Julie; 14 grandchildren; 30 great grandchildren; her brother, Tom (Jolee) Tacheny and many nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to extend heartfelt thanks to staff at Pathstone Living and Moments Hospice for the outstanding care given to Eleanor; and to all who visited, comforted or otherwise kept in touch with her over the years.

Eleanor will be missed by many. May she rest in peace, and may her memory be a blessing to all who knew and loved her.

Memorials may be directed to St. Joseph the Worker Church, St. Matthew’s Church, or ECHO Food Shelf.