Elenore Voth Bulau
1930-2022 aged 91
Elenore Voth Bulau was born on March 20, 1930 to German immigrants, Karl Voth and Elizabeth Lootz Voth (later Dobmeier). The family returned to Germany when she was 2 years of age and she grew up in the suburbs of Berlin. After the war she returned alone to Rochester to stay with relatives. She worked in a box factory and later for Eastman Kodak Co. She became fluent in English as a second language and learned to become American. Over the next few years she was joined in Rochester by her mother and grandmother, her father having been killed during the war.
On April 15, 1950 she married Willard Bulau, a distant cousin by marriage with close family ties. In 1953 they moved to their new house near Fairport and joined Bethlehem Lutheran Church. She managed the household, watched over her three children while her husband went to work supporting the family.
Elenore was liked by everybody and she always found time to exchange some friendly words. If she happened not to like someone, which was unusual, only a few close family members might even know of it. She had a soft spot in her heart for those in need, donating what she could to charity and canvassing the neighborhood on their behalf.
Elenore always liked staying busy, doing things that she considered useful. She was good at organizing, keeping records, and managing money. She volunteered at the church, singing and playing the accordion. For many years, she took care of the altar and washed communion glasses. For many years thereafter she was in charge of the communion records.
Her favorite activity was gardening, watching & feeding the birds, and playing with her grandchildren. She grew many lovely flowers and, along with Willard, grew summer vegetables. She loved it when her adult children would visit, even from afar after they relocated to other parts of the country. She especially liked spoiling her grandchildren.
After Willard passed away in 2006 she moved to a small rental in the Parkwood Heights senior living complex in Macedon. She volunteered to watch after the community library, but preferred to garden during the summer. When the weather was tolerable she could be seen working in one of the community planting beds. She was particularly happy when a butterfly garden was installed and she did what she could to make sure the butterflies had healthy flowers on which to feed.
Elenore was always grateful for family and any small blessings that came her way. It was unusual to hear her complain. Her last years were difficult as she lost the ability to do the things that always used to make her happy. She is with the Lord now and it is likely that she caring for the birds, butterflies and flowers in heaven.
She is survived by her 3 children: James (Luz), Bruce (Rose), and Linda Knight (Steve); 4 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.
All who knew her are welcome to attend a celebration of Elenore’s life that will be held 10:30AM on April 7, 2022 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 48 Perrin St. Fairport.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Rochester Presbyterian Home. The employees of the Creekstone facility in Perinton did a wonderful job making Elenore’s last years as comfortable and happy as possible.