ABOUT TOM & ELINOR EBERHARDT

Tom & Elinor Eberhardt
Tom & Elinor Eberhardt
Tom and Elinor were givers.  The Eberhardts gave to their community and they gave to NALMS. NALMS will miss Tom and Elinor, who tragically died together in a plane crash on December 30th, 2010. However, the upbeat, indomitable spirit and energy that they have shared and passed on to their family, friends and community reminds us of them every day. NALMS founded the Eberhardt Memorial Student Fund in 2011 to commemorate Tom and Elinor’s life and to continue their legacy of giving by supporting NALMS student members. Make a contribution in their name and Donate Today!

Tom Eberhardt was a great friend, colleague and mentor, a problem-solver, an engineer by profession and an entrepreneur by vocation.  He entered the lake treatment business one night at a cocktail party after hearing a friend describe the treatment of an acid impacted lake by dumping buckets of lime from helicopters. Recognizing the inefficiency of this process Tom quickly developed the prototype for a treatment barge on a cocktail napkin. Soon thereafter, Sweetwater Technology was born, the barge was operational and lakes were treated. Not long after that, Tom re-tooled the barge to apply alum to lakes in a precise and efficient manner. When confronted with a problem, Tom solved it.

Elinor Eberhardt helped her husband start his first business by obtaining a degree and license as a certified public accountant. She was a very active member of the American Association of University Women, including acting as treasurer, secretary and president of her chapter. She contributed to her community as a founding board member of Riverwood Hospital, as an active supporter of the Jaques Art Center, as a founding member of the Aitkin Garden Club, and as a volunteer working in the healing garden in the Eberhardt’s hometown of Aitkin, MN. Elinor was very creative. She sewed, gardened, baked and made beautiful pottery that she displayed and sold at the Jaques Art Center. Elinor's untimely death came shortly after winning a battle with stage III breast cancer. She went through the ordeal with strength, grace and good nature, touching and inspiring all who knew her.