A beloved leader recently retired after nearly 20 years of service at Clark County Adventist Community Services. Eleanor Hetke served as a nurse and a missionary for decades before joining CCACS as a volunteer around 2008. In 2015, Eleanor took on the responsibility of becoming the center’s executive director and led the team until her retirement this year – just before turning 90 years old!
“Eleanor is just so sweet,” shared CCACS volunteer Karen Young. “She’s just always there for anybody. If you had to call in and say you couldn’t make it, she’d say, ‘You need to take care of what you need to do! Don’t worry about it here.’ You couldn’t ask for a better place to work than the center. Everybody just always pitches in and helps get everything done. Eleanor has always been so upbeat, funny, and cheerful – just a joy to be around!”
Eleanor’s retirement was celebrated by colleagues, friends, and family recently as part of the center’s awards banquet. When the team asked Eleanor what she’d like the theme to be, she said, “Stones!” “I had to think on that one!” said Karen, who worked on the event. “Five of us got together and painted rocks. We decided to make the Flintstones part of the theme and she thought that was just so funny. Over 100 people showed up. We had to pull out more tables because everybody wanted to be there if they weren’t out of town.”
Colleagues David Rodriguez and Gayle Perry shared words of encouragement and appreciation. Eleanor’s granddaughter sang a song for her. Eleanor and her husband even sat in a specially made Flintstones car as the community recognized the love and care she has poured into CCACS.
In the words of David Rodriguez, “Today, we honor Eleanor, a woman who has become a living, breathing testament to the truth of Ephesians 6:10. She is not a warrior of flesh and blood, but a warrior of the Spirit. Her strength has never been defined by a loud voice or a dominating presence, but by a quiet, unshakable reliance on the Almighty. In moments where it would have been easier to crumble, to fear, or to surrender to cynicism, Eleanor chose to stand. She has taught us that true power is not found in controlling our circumstances, but in surrendering them to the One who controls the universe. She is strong in the Lord: When her own strength failed—as it does for us all—she didn't turn away. Instead, she leaned harder into God’s grace, proving that His power is made perfect in weakness. She stands in the power of His might: We have watched her put on the full armor of God—fastening the belt of truth, raising the shield of faith against the flaming darts of doubt, and allowing the peace of the Gospel to guide her feet. She is a woman of prayer: She understands that the battle is spiritual, and she has fought, and continues to fight, on her knees. Her prayers have been a protective shield over her family, her friends, and her community. Eleanor, your life is a beacon that shines light into the darkness. You have shown us that a virtuous woman is not merely gentle, but fierce in her love for God and unwavering in her devotion to truth. You have not just read about spiritual warfare; you have modeled how to stand firm after doing all. Thank you for demonstrating that when we are weak, He is strong. Thank you for being our example of a woman strong in the Lord. We call you blessed.”
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