Eileen O’Hara Gavin, died peacefully on Tuesday, May 26, 2020, surrounded by her four loving children.
Born and raised in the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx, NY, Eileen was the third of five children of the late Irene Kelly O’Hara and Anthony J. O’Hara. She married and later moved to Hasbrouck Heights, NJ where she lived happily for 55 years.
Following in the O’Hara Family tradition, Eileen and Patsy, sisters and best friends, opened a small antique store, My Sister and I, on Anderson Avenue in Hackensack – never revealing who was the “sister” and who was the “I”. Eileen proudly worked as a credit manager and retired from Maxell Corporation in Fairlawn, NJ after 25 years. She was a member of the Rosary Society and the Contemporary Club of Hasbrouck Heights, NJ, and a volunteer at the town food bank. Eileen loved to knit and crochet award-winning blankets and hats and scarves which she gave as presents or donated to various charities. Her greatest joy came from spending time on vacations with her children, grandchildren and great grandchild, Abbie.
She was predeceased in death by her brothers, Thomas, Anthony (Sonny), and Daniel O’Hara and her sister Patricia Carlin.
She is survived by her children and their spouses, Lynne Gillespie of Hasbrouck Heights, NJ, Laura and Doug Johnson of Denville, NJ, Valerie and Stephan Spangenberg of Penn Valley, CA and Christopher and Heather Gavin of Pawling, NY. Eileen also leaves behind 17 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter, to whom she was known as Grandma, Nanee, Granny and Nee Nee. As the family matriarch, she leaves behind a large loving Irish family that includes nieces, nephews, sisters in law, cousins, great neices and nephews, and friends who will forever miss her lively Christmas gatherings, family stories of the old neighborhood, songs and lullabies, and most of all her smiling Irish eyes.
When possible, a memorial mass will be held in her honor. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to two organizations that were close to Eileen’s heart: Eva’s Village in Paterson, NJ www.evasvillage.org or Tomorrow’s Children Inc in Hackensack, NJ www.tomorrowschildrenwi.org.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Horn & Thomes, Inc. Funeral Home, 83 East Main Street, Pawling, NY.
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