Cover photo for Mary  Eleanor Caneff's Obituary
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Mary Eleanor Caneff

October 11, 1930 — August 21, 2021

Mary Eleanor Caneff, age 90, of Hastings, passed away at home, with her family by her side on August 21, 2021. She was born in Belle Plaine, Minnesota on October 11, 1930 to William and Bridget Fahey. After high school graduation, Eleanor attended business school and held various office jobs in St. Paul including working for the IRS. On August 27, 1957, Eleanor married her husband Jim at St. John’s Country Church in Sibley County. Eleanor and Jim created a life together raising four children on the family farm located near Miesville, Minnesota. Eleanor was a woman of many talents. She was an awesome gardener, exceptional cook and baker, seamstress, figure skater, ballroom dancer, and a poor card player. Eleanor had a servant’s heart. She could cook for five or fifty, headcount didn’t matter. She served on the funeral committee, prayed for the unborn, visited friends who needed comfort, and performed acts of kindness, too many to mention. Eleanor is preceded in death by her son, Pat Caneff; brothers, William, Gene and Pat Fahey; sisters, Theresa Renne, and Ruth Effertz; brothers in law, Merlin Bartels and Bill Effertz; and sisters in law, Mary Fahey and Rosie Fahey. She is survived by her loving husband, Jim Caneff; children, Mary (Kenny) Bauer, Jim (Cathy) Caneff, Bill (Shirley) Caneff; daughter-in-law Tammy Caneff; 5 grandchildren (Rob, Shelly, Nate, Kelly, and Chet); 5 great grandchildren (Jonathan, Adeline, Ollie, Harry, and Willie) and one on the way; 2 step grandchildren (Adam and Kyle), 5 great step grandchildren (Christian, Sophia, Jack, Landon and Finn), sister, Dorothy Bartels; brothers, Kenneth (Theresa) Fahey and Roger (Doris) Fahey; brother in law, Bud Renne; sister in law Polly Fahey and many other relatives and friends. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, August 28, 2021 at 11:00 AM at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 2035 W. 15th Street in Hastings. A visitation will be held 2 hours prior to mass at church. Interment, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Cemetery. Memorials preferred. “I am the resurrection and the life. He who dies and believes in me will live and he who lives and believes in me will never die.” John 11:25 The Starkson Family Life Celebration Chapel is serving the family. www.hastingsmnfuneral.com

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Service Schedule

Past Services

Visitation

Saturday, August 28, 2021

9:00 - 11:00 am (Central time)

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St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church

West 15th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55403

Mass of Christian Burial

Saturday, August 28, 2021

11:00am - 12:00 pm (Central time)

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St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church

West 15th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55403

Reception

Saturday, August 28, 2021

12:00 - 1:30 pm (Central time)

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St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church

West 15th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55403

Graveside

Saturday, August 28, 2021

1:30 - 1:45 pm (Central time)

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St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Cemetery

3070 Vermillion Street
Hastings, MN 55033

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