Frances Eleanor Blaha

Eleanor Blaha

AGE: 98 • formerly of Hazlet and Lavallette

Frances Eleanor (Eleanor) Blaha, 98, passed away on July 19, 2013. Eleanor was born on November 12, 1914 in Elizabeth, NJ to Joseph and Stella Frances (Shearcraft) Tappen. In 1916, Eleanor was struck with infantile polio in her leg and was moved to an Isolation Hospital. She recovered, but suffered from post-polio syndrome for the rest of her life. After her parents divorced and her mother died in 1926, Eleanor and her siblings were taken in by their older cousin Angie Astfalk. Eleanor graduated from Immaculate Conception School and Drakes Business College in Elizabeth.

Eleanor spent considerable time growing up in Lavallette NJ, where Angie had a summer home at 16 Philadelphia Avenue. Regular family and friends visiting included Charlotte (Astfalk) and Mike Malone, A.A. (Astfalk) and Jack Lynch, Leonard and Rene Astfalk, Clara Turner, Joe Barelli, Bert and Mike Devine, Annie and Willie Walsh, Lottie Buff Astfalk Marshall, Annie Mack, Nell McGlynn, and neighbor's Rae and Frank Yochum. Eleanor had wonderful memories of her times in Lavallette. In August 1934, Eleanor rescued a two year old boy who was drowning off the beach in Lavallette, but unfortunately, doctors were unable to resuscitate him.

Eleanor met William (Bill) Blaha at a USO-sponsored dance during World War II and they were married at Sacred Heart Church in Elizabeth on December 28, 1944, with her cousin Charlotte (Astfalk) Malone as her matron of honor. Eleanor and Bill had given up hope of having children, when at the age of 41, Eleanor had their only child, David, in 1956. They moved to Hazlet NJ in 1957, where they raised their son and lived until 2004.

Eleanor was the librarian at St. John Vianney High School in Holmdel, New Jersey, serving in that capacity from the opening of the school in 1969 to her retirement in 1979. After they retired, Eleanor and Bill spent winters in Daytona Beach FL. In 2003, they sold their house in Hazlet and moved to Annapolis MD to be closer to their son and his family. In her free time, Eleanor enjoyed painting, playing bridge, listening to baseball games on the radio, and birdwatching.

She was predeceased by her husband, Bill; beloved mother, Stella; brother, Joe and sister-in-law, Bea; and sisters, Anna (Tappen) Runne and Margaret Tappen. She is survived by her son, David and daughter-in-law, Diane (Annapolis MD), granddaughters, Jennifer Blaha (New York City) and Laura Blaha (Charlotte NC), and nieces, Nancy Tappen Lenville (Cinnaminson NJ) and Mary Runne Magee (Prescott Valley AZ) and their children; and nieces, Beverly (Blaha) Hand (Largo FL), Cynthia (Blaha) Mehrhof (Inverness FL), and nephew, Joe Blaha (Denver CO).

At Eleanor's request, there will not be a memorial service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (http://www.stjude.org/waystohelp).