Elnor Ruth (Cochran) Arning was born on January 30, 1927 in Harper, Kansas.  She was the youngest of six children of Moses Theodore "Ted" Cochran and Mabel Laura (Brown) Cochran.  She graduated from Harper High School with the class of 1945.

On August 26, 1947 she was united in marriage to Lester August Arning in Wellington, Kansas.

Elnor began working for Southwestern Bell as a telephone operator while Les worked for the electric company.  They continued to live in Harper for the next 7 years.  In 1955, they moved to Caldwell, Kansas, where they lived until moving back to Harper in 1977.  Elnor also worked for Mardis Electric and the Caldwell Flower Shop, where her passion for flowers began.  She was proud of her flower gardens and the love of her flowers was also something her family enjoyed.  She was always looking for weeds to pull while living at Spring View Manor in Conway Springs and Heritage Estates in Harper, where she was living at the time of her passing.  Elnor was a avid bird watcher and was a member of the Audubon Society.  She could identify birds like no other and passed this love on to her kids and grandkids.

On January 19, 2020, Elnor passed away at the Patterson Health Center at the age of 92 years, 11 months, and 20 days.  She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, brother: Harold Cochran, and sisters: Hazel Barnes, Helen Swafford, Mildred Pitts, and Rosalie Salters.

Elnor will be missed by her son, Steve Arning and his wife, Nani of Colorado Springs; daughter, Jan Graves of Harper; grandchildren: Brett Graves and Bethany Graves of Harper, John Arning of California, and Anna Arning of Colorado Springs; great-granddaughters, Leah and Sophia Kurz of Harper; other relatives and friends.

Cremation has taken place.  Friends may register from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home.

Memorial Service is 10:00 a.m. Saturday, January 25, 2020 at Prairie Rose Funeral Home in Harper.  A private inurnment will take place at the Harper Cemetery at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to Chaplin Nature Center or United Methodist Church of Harper and can be sent in care of the funeral home.

Prairie Rose Funeral Home, 613 W 14th St. ~ Harper, Kansas 67058 is assisting the family with arrangement and services.