Eleanor Miller David, 1944-2003

Eleanor Miller David, who had lived with her husband Zed David at 517 13th St. NE for 10 years, died last Saturday of a heart attack. She had been battling cancer.

The family's obituary, below, is followed by tributes from family, friends and neighbors, gathered by Stephen Smith, 1311 E St. NE, and Marc Borbely, 536 13th St. NE.

On April 19, 2003, God extended His arm and lifted Eleanor Miller David to her awaiting home.

Eleanor David was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Ellere Miller. She was born on March 10, 1944, at Freedman's Hospital and grew up in Northeast Washington. She attended Stuart Junior High School and graduated from Eastern High School. As a child, she attended Springfield Baptist Church.

Eleanor earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of the District of Columbia and a Master of Arts degree in legal studies from Antioch College. She was employed for many years as an administrative officer at the National Museum of American History and, from 1988 to her retirement in 2001, as an administrative officer at the Smithsonian Office of Museum Programs.

Eleanor was loved by all because of her personality. Once you met her, you would never forget her! She loved to dance and was an avid reader of history and African-American fiction.

Eleanor was active in the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences. She was also affiliated with the AARP, United Negro College Fund, NAACP, and Black Women of America Association.

In September of 1979, Eleanor and Zdenek (Zed) met in the Smithsonian bookstore. After dating for many years, they were joined in matrimony in October 1993. They traveled in the United States, Central America, South America and Europe, especially in Zed's native Czech Republic.

She is survived by her husband, Zdenek Vaclav David; her biological daughter, Angel Coombs Ivey; six stepchildren; three aunts — Louise Pickett of Mullins, S.C., Jeanette Wade of Charlotte, N.C., and Louise Holmes of N.Y.; George McPhearson Sr., a dear cousin; and a host of relatives and friends.

She attended Springfield Baptist Church. I used to talk with her, and she used to tell me, "Oh, I know where your church is. I used to go there." Springfield Baptist Church, that's where I'm a member at. My mother is the mother of the church, there, and I'm one of the head cooks there. Beautiful person. She was always ready to participate in anything on this block. When we used to have our annual block parties, she would always give a donation. Loved her ever since she's been here — her and her daughter, both of them. Just fine people. We're gonna miss her.

— Lacey Bigelow, 1317 Emerald St. NE

Luckily, we had an opportunity to have dinner with Zed and Eleanor just a week before her death, and it was nice being able to visit with her again. It was nice to have her around. She was very lively, and, in spite of her condition, she was quick-witted and ever so gracious. For someone having a decreased mobility, she always knew what was going on in the neighborhood. She was good to talk to. We're all gonna miss her, I'm sure. But life was a struggle for her, lately. I'm happy to see that she's at rest.

— Bill Ament, 515 13th St. NE

Very lovely person. Hope she will rest in peace.

— Pauline Johnson, 519 13th St. NE

She was a good neighbor. Always very friendly and jovial.

— Synthia Johnson, formerly at 519 13th St. NE

She will be missed very much.

— Rev. Randolph W. Clay, 1250 E St. NE

With deepest sympathies to those that she loved.

— Donna Jonathan McLeod, 1313 Emerald St. NE

She attended a community meeting about the garden [on 13th and E] at the church on Maryland Avenue.

— Paul Dunbar, 511 13th St. NE

She was a dear friend whom I'll miss very much. But I'm glad that she's free.

—Rena Quallis, 525 13th St. NE

Eleanor was the spirit of the neighborhood. She looked out for all of us — a lovely dynamic lady. And we'll miss her.

— Becky Hoover, 513 13th St. NE

Every year we would have what's called a Gospel Fest [on Emerald Street]. We would close down the street, and all day long we would have praise, song and worshipping — people coming together in the spirit of love, peace and joy. And Brother Zed and Sister Eleanor were always a part of that festivity. We played many songs, and Eleanor loved a lot of the songs. But one of the songs that she loved the best — it was one that she told me that she would come if I would play this particular song. That song was "Come to Jesus." She loved that song.

— Rev. Catherine Bego, 1308 Emerald, at the funeral

Other people, today, will speak about Eleanor's wonderful personality, and her laugh that would light up a room, that we will all miss so much. But my brothers and sisters and I also know Eleanor as a warm and kind stepmother, who welcomed the six of us and shared all of our difficulties, our joys, our graduations and weddings, our new babies. She spent untold weekends and holidays with us, and she never seemed to mind that she would have literally dozens of stepchildren and in-laws and step-grandchildren who invaded her house, and we always had the warmest welcome. We have the happiest memories of Eleanor. Eleanor was one of those people who crossed cultural barriers. She adapted to my father's Czech traditions — even at Christmas, which was a holiday that was so important to her. She grew to like my father's dumplings — the famous knedliky — that seemed to fill the kitchen at every holiday. And she also attended all of the balls, the cultural events, the conferences of the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences with my father. She and my father traveled, and she had a great spirit of adventure in her travels. And they would think nothing of just getting on an overnight train to Italy and going across Europe. When Eleanor was in the Czech Republic, she would sit patiently listening to people who spoke only Czech, and somehow she managed to communicate with them. ... I remember one time, we found this lovely little restaurant in Prague, and I just remember that time, talking late into the night — and I remember how she was sitting there, so pretty, and so full of life, in that restaurant. ... I will always remember her that night in Prague.

— Katherine David-Fox, stepdaughter, at the funeral

She was a real nice woman. She liked chitlins, and every time she cooked chitlins, she'd always tell me, "You want some chitlins?" We'd sit outside, and we'd just talk. She was like a second mother to me. And then my son — she loved Brandon. She would go buy him gifts. She was kind of upset because she really got sick, and she couldn't do the things that she wanted to do. Anything you asked her for, she was willing to give or help. You could be a total stranger coming down the street and ask for something, she'll give it to you. She used to do Baby Boy like that all the time, before he died — give him food, and everything.

— Theiel Jackson, 1309 Emerald St. NE

She gave me this Black History book — [I've been reading] that book almost every day, because it reminds me of her. And she'd give me toys. She was a nice lady. Very nice.

— Brandon Jackson, 1309 Emerald St. NE §