Lasting Memories

Eleanor Jean Satterlee
Oct. 1, 1931-Feb. 11, 2025
Palo Alto, California

Eleanor Jean Gaenicke was born on October 1st, 1931 at the French Hospital in San Francisco, California. She was the first born child of her parents, Albert Louis Gaenicke and Thelma Elenore Reim Gaenicke.

The young family lived in Woodland, California until Eleanor was 4 years old and they moved to Sacramento, California. There they cultivated fruits and vegetables, hosted many family parties, and Eleanor attended Sierra School.

Eleanor enjoyed participating in singing and drama in high school plays and social events, and she graduated from C.K. McClatchy High School in Sacramento in June, 1949. Although she and her future husband, Hugh Satterlee, both attended the same high school at the same time, Hugh and Eleanor didn’t meet each other until they were attending rival universities: Hugh was at Stanford and Eleanor was at Cal Berkeley! Big Games were always celebrated throughout the years! In 1953 Eleanor received her Bachelor of Arts in Education and then her Teaching Credential from the University of California at Berkeley. Hugh received his Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Stanford in that same year. Hugh and Eleanor were married June 25th, 1955 in Sacramento, CA. Soon after, Hugh left for Naval Officer’s training in Rhode Island, while Eleanor stayed in Sacramento teaching elementary school. Later that year, the newlyweds were able to move to Guam together, where Hugh served as an Officer in the Navy Seabees until 1957 when they transferred to Port Hueneme, California. Their first child, Mark Jonathan, was born there in 1958, and their younger child, Martha Alice, was born at Stanford Hospital in 1964. Hugh received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford in 1964, thanks in large part to Eleanor, who, at 9-months pregnant, helped to type the draft on a non-electric typewriter!

Many friends and relatives throughout the years consistently say that Eleanor was always kind, friendly and gracious. Her relatives will always remember her helpful and loving demeanor along with her memorable laugh.

Hugh and Eleanor Satterlee were well known residents of Palo Alto since 1960. They lived in their beloved house from 1962 to 2020. For almost all of those many years, Eleanor could be seen riding her bike or driving her Miata convertible around town, and walking the brisk block “down to the church!” She enjoyed swimming 3 early mornings a week at Rinconada pool, and tending her garden at home, especially the camellias, daisies and roses!

Eleanor was always involved in the community. In addition to their church, she supported many local causes, and kept herself busy volunteering at her children’s schools and at fundraising organizations such as Tally Ho and The Allied Arts Gift Shop for Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. Yearly she attended the Author’s Luncheon and helped prune the roses at Gamble Gardens. She sang in the church choir and helped organize the Teacher’s Faire/Learning Faire. As a couple, Hugh and Eleanor were generous with their time as they served on many committees and were active members of several national organizations. They supported Stanford Athletics, the San Jose and San Francisco Symphonies, as well as SF Opera and A.C.T. Theater.

Hugh and Eleanor enjoyed each other’s company and they participated in many activities together. In addition to attending and teaching Sunday School, washing dishes after the Sunday Coffee Hour, tithing and serving for years on the board of the First Baptist Church of Palo Alto, Hugh and Eleanor were instrumental in making sure that the iconic church structure at 305 North California Avenue, retain its beauty and its role as a spiritual center and thriving community hub, now known as Grace Presbyterian of Silicon Valley. All the proceeds from that sale were donated to several international sister churches and local programs, including the Ecumenical Hunger Project.

Hugh and Eleanor always looked forward to many seasonal activities: all family gatherings, holiday parties, Stanford Camp, Stanford Basketball Games and Football Tailgates, Passport Weekend and Midsummer Mozart, as well as traveling to Europe, Mexico and all throughout the United States. Most of all, Hugh and Eleanor were very active and friendly people! They are dearly loved by many.

On February 11, 2025, Eleanor passed away peacefully in her sleep next to her husband of 70 years. Hugh passed away just 377 days after his wife, on February 23rd, 2026.

Eleanor is preceded in death by her brother (Albert) Peter Gaenicke. She is survived by her younger brother, David Reinhold Gaenicke of Port Townsend, Washington, and by her 2 children and their families: Mark and Christina Satterlee of Emerald Hills, California, grandsons Cameron and Morgan Satterlee, Martha and Jorge Prado of San Jose, California and grandson Jorge, as well as many loving cousins, nieces and nephews.

It is fitting that her dear husband Hugh passed away just about a year after she did, because she didn’t want a funeral service just for herself. So now they are together again. And we will be celebrating them together.

A Celebration of Life for Hugh and Eleanor together, will be held via Zoom on Saturday, April 18th, 2026 at 10:00 AM PDT.

If you would like to attend the virtual Zoom call, please contact Martha or Mark Satterlee, or email Martha: marthaasap123@gmail.com

In lieu of gifts or flowers, donations may be made to Alzheimer’s Research or to the Ecumenical Hunger Project. And Eleanor would want you to enjoy the flowers around you!