Elinor B. Kluge, of Newtown died December 14. She was born in Natick, Mass., daughter of Catherine (Connally) and John Burke.

Mrs Kluge graduated from Natick High School, Class of 1945. She then attended Emmanuel College and went on to train in physical therapy in Boston.

She joined the staff of Fairfield Hills Hospital in 1948 and was employed there until she moved to Augusta, Ga., and married Joseph A. Marcinek in 1950. They returned to Newtown in 1954 and built their home. They divorced in 1967.

Mrs Kluge worked for St Regis Paper Company and later Bemis Inc as secretary to the plant manager and later in Danbury for a Wall Street-based company as a secretary to the president.

She married Robert J Kluge in 1969. They enjoyed 35 years of marriage until his death in 2004.

Four children, Joseph F. Marcinek of Torrington, Marilyn Schettino and her husband Ray of Newtown, Stephen Marcinek and his wife Candace of Wingdale, N.Y., and David R Marcinek of Newtown; a stepdaughter, Susan Rudolph, and her husband Chris, of Southbury; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, step-grandchildren, and great step-grandchildren survive her.

Her parents and her brother, Joseph F Burke, predeceased her.

Mrs Kluge enjoyed sports when she was young: golf and tennis in the summer, skiing and skating in the winter. Also, she enjoyed knitting and crocheting and became interested in computers to kept in touch with her family in her 70s and 80s with e-mails. Her loved ones say she was an avid reader, an excellent cook and homemaker, and the world's best "Mom."

There are no calling hours.

Services and interment in Newtown Village Cemetery will be private.

Memorial contributions may be made to Kevin's Community Center, PO Box 37, Newtown CT 06470 or by visiting kevinscommunitycenter.org.

Arrangements are in care of the Honan Funeral Home of Newtown.