Elnora Evelyn Briggans was born to Jesse James Briggans and Parthenia Wesley Briggans on October 11, 1920 in Independence, Kansas. 

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She was a graduate of Field McKinley Memorial High School and Coffeyville Junior College in Coffeyville, Kansas, and Kansas State Teachers College (now Pittsburg State University) in Pittsburg, Kansas.

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Her first teaching job was for one year in rural Wallace, Kansas. She lived with a local farm family, her students included children of migrant workers, and she encountered rattlesnakes as she walked to and from school.

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Elnora then worked for a time at The Kansas Army Ammunition Plant plant in Parsons, Kansas to help with the United States' efforts during World War II.

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At some point as a young woman Elnora changed her name to Eleanor. "My mom wanted to spell her name like Eleanor Roosevelt," said daughter Eva.

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Eleanor's cousin Wilma Collins lived in Lebanon, Missouri. Wilma was the lone teacher at Sumner School for black students in the first through sixth grade; black students in the seventh through twelfth grades attended Lebanon schools. In the mid-1940's she wanted to move to Manhattan, Kansas to teach, but in order for her to be let out of her contract she was told that she'd need to find a teacher to replace her at Sumner School. She let Eleanor know about the situation and Eleanor agreed to take her place.

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In time, the Sumner School was closed and Eleanor and her students were moved to a former United Service Organization (U.S.O.) building that became W.T. Vernon School. 

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Lebanon schools were fully integrated in 1958 and W.T. Vernon School was closed. Eleanor then became the librarian for all four of Lebanon's elementary schools: Donnelly, Hillcrest, Maplecrest, and Mark Twain (now Boswell). In 1974 another librarian was hired to take over Donnelly and Mark Twain, and Eleanor remained the librarian at Hillcrest and Maplecrest until she retired in 1985.

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It's estimated that approximately 3,300 students in Lebanon had her as their elementary school librarian; she would have taught about 450 children had she been the teacher of a single classroom during those same years. 

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Prior to moving to Lebanon Eleanor married and divorced James Blake; they had one daughter, Eva.
In 1949 she was united in marriage with Adolph Ford; they had one son, James.

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In addition, Eleanor was:

• a member of Mt. Lebanon United Methodist Church in Lebanon for 45 years, where for many years she served as Secretary-Treasurer

• a member and Director of the Lebanon Community Choir

• a member of the honorary teachers society Delta Kappa Gamma

• a member and President of the Wyota chapter of Business and Professional Women

• a member of the Lebanon-Laclede Library Board of Trustees

• writer of a recurring article for The Lebanon Daily Record entitled Old Town Happenings

• a member of the Retired Teacher's Association

• a member of the 'Kitchen Band' at Hughes Senior Center

• along with Adolph, chosen as Honorary Marshals of the Lebanon Christmas parade in 1981

• instrumental in helping to secure funding for Lebanon Properties #2 senior housing, and she eventually managed the complex

• posthumously inducted to Lebanon's Wall of Honor at the Cowan Civic Center
   

Mrs. Ford died October 8, 1991. She and Adolph are buried in the Lebanon City Cemetery (36-1 blk 23).

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