Eleanore Stevens Obituary

Eleanore Carol Stevens
1930 - 2023
Longmeadow
Eleanore "Ellie" Carol (Dineen) Stevens, 93, died peacefully surrounded by family on December 16, 2023. For 21 years, she was married to her beloved husband, Robert Joseph Stevens, who predeceased her in February 1976, at the age of 50. Like many of her generation, her story is one of strength and conviction. She was born on June 23, 1930 in Port Chester, NY to Clara Rudd and Leo James Dineen. In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by her parents, and her two older brothers George Dineen of Rye Brook, NY and Richard K. Dineen of Stamford, CT. She is survived by her three children, Robert J. Stevens Jr. of Westfield, Paul R. Stevens of Longmeadow, and Carol A. Skelly of Portsmouth, RI. She is also survived by her son-in law, Devin K. Skelly, her two grandchildren Ryan J. Skelly and Carson A. Skelly of Portsmouth, RI. After growing up in Port Chester, she attended Wood Secretarial School in NYC, and graduated from the Marjorie Webster Junior College of Washington D.C. in 1950. She was employed as an Executive Secretary for several companies in the Westchester NY/Fairfield CT area until her marriage to Robert J Stevens of Lewiston, Maine in 1955. After moving to the Springfield area in 1959, she spent many years as a devoted wife and mother. She lived on Drury Lane in Longmeadow for nearly 60 years. In 1974, she started a career in real estate, which she practiced in the Greater Springfield Area until the mid-1990s. Whether it was golfing, skiing or hiking, she loved being outdoors and stayed active well into her later years. She also cherished being able to fulfill her childhood dreams of seeing the Western US and Europe. She was a lifelong Episcopalian, and devoted parishioner at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Longmeadow since 1959, where she participated in the church choir, alter guild and vestry. She relied on her faith in God to face adversity throughout her long life. She was also a member of the Longmeadow Chapter of the Eastern Star. Ellie will be remembered for her strength, conviction, and independence. Her words were always sincere, and everyone she met knew there was no pretense. She was friendly, outgoing, and had a great sense of humor. She had many close friends, but family was her first priority. After becoming a young widow in 1976, she provided a loving and stable single-parent home for many years. She always put her own wants and needs behind that of her children. Her strong moral compass was repeatedly demonstrated and exemplified throughout her life, which made her an outstanding role model. She will be dearly missed by her entire family. A service will be held for Ellie on Thursday December 21, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at the St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 335 Longmeadow St, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Following the service, there will be a short reception/ coffee hour at the church before the family makes their way to Greenwood Union Cemetery in Rye, New York. There are no calling hours. In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Parkinson's Disease Foundation, P.O. Box 61420, Staten Island, NY 10306 or to the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org or by calling 1-800-227-2345. Brunelle Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements. To leave an online expression of sympathy for the family, please visit www.brunellefuneralhome.com