Eleanor Harvey Hyde, age 90, of Hockessin, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 10, 2024.

Eleanor was born in Fort Sam Houston, TX, daughter of the late Isnell Augusta and Curtis Arleigh Harvey. Eleanor attended Louisiana College and taught school in Louisiana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania (Manoa Elementary School, Havertown), and Delaware. After earning her master's degree in education from the University of Delaware, Eleanor was a reading specialist for multiple schools in New Castle County. For more than two decades preceding her retirement, she taught at Forest Oak Elementary School, first as a reading specialist and later as a classroom teacher. Although Eleanor did not pursue art as a career, she was accomplished in working with oil paints and pastels. Eleanor was bold in taking on challenges to learn new things. Besides studying reading instruction, she pursued organic gardening on the land of a friend, learned BASIC programming language when personal computers came into existence, and explored macrobiotic cooking.  In later years, she enjoyed reading about historical figures and the history of places she had lived. She appreciated and cared for the natural world and passed this on to her family. She enjoyed watching the birds in her yard and the birds and mammals of the Delaware marshes and rolling hills. Eleanor demonstrated love and devotion to her family members in thought, word, and deed. She showed unfailing kindness to others outside the family as well. She was a caring, intelligent, dedicated, and effective teacher; a generous mentor; and a beloved friend.

Eleanor was predeceased by her husband, Ernest Barlow Hyde; and her sister, Anne Garms. Eleanor is survived by her daughter, Linda Hyde; son-in-law, Christopher McFadden; grandchild, Jonny McFadden; sister, Nell Heggen; brother, Benjamin Harvey, and his wife, Frauke; and numerous nieces, nephews, and close family friends whom she loved.

A visitation for Eleanor will be held on Saturday, May 4, 2024, where friends and family may call from 10:00-11:00 a.m. at the Mealey Funeral Home, 2509 Limestone Rd, Wilmington, DE 19808. A celebration of life will follow at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be held privately.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Eleanor's name to Delaware Nature Society, Sunday Breakfast Mission--Wilmington, or your favorite charity.