Lee Ellen Eynon Nordholm

Lee Ellen Eynon Nordholm
Dec. 23, 1929 - Apr. 14, 2011

Lee Ellen Eynon Nordholm, a resident of Chatham, NJ, passed away at Morristown Memorial Hospital, at peace with herself and the world, after a courageous five week battle with circulatory problems.
Born in Washington, D.C. and raised on a farm in Virginia, Lee, at age 16, won the Pepsi Cola Scholarship and graduated from George Washington University with a degree in International Economics.
Lee lived as an artist devoted to beauty in nature and in human endeavors. She was a painter, she loved classical music; she attended more than 1200 performances of music, opera and theater. Lee performed many vital roles for Chatham Community Players: set painter, director, make-up chairman, and editor of the Backstage newsletter since the 1960s, as well as serving as Trustee and Vice President. She was a two-time recipient of the Players' Shipler Award, and also won the Dawley Award for outstanding contributions over many years.
Lee relished political discussion. An ardent Democrat, she was active with the League of Women Voters for decades. Lee's passions included her constant attendance at the Interweave/Calvary Mid-week Open Forum to discuss spiritual paths and her pursuit of architectural dignity in Chatham as a member of the Historic Commission.
Lee toured widely in the U.S., Canada, Europe, North and South Africa; she rarely could be caught without both a detective novel and the New York Times crossword puzzle in her purse.
Lee was a dear, motherly person, actively traveling to see her far-flung family, and reaching out with unguarded compassion to many young people in need of emotional sustenance; she opened her home to long stays for eight different people over the years. An adventurous cook, she will be joyously remembered for her laughter over meals with so many friends.
She found her life's work as the Parish Administrator for Calvary Episcopal Church, Summit, NJ, her church home for 42 years. In just the last year of her life alone, Lee made donations to 34 organizations, including opera societies, nature and wildlife preservation groups, First Nations educational funds, the League of Women Voters, Emily's List, and the National Museum of Women in the Arts, of which she was a founding member.
Lee touched the life of virtually everyone she met, with her zesty intelligence and generous affection, and maintained her trademark sense of spirited humor all the way to the end.
She was the middle child of the late Lee E. Eynon and Dorothy Carter von Bayer, and was much loved by her husband Eric Gregory Nordholm who died in 2004.
She was pre-deceased by her beloved brother, William Eynon; and her sister, Merril Mayo.
Lee will forever be remembered by her loving children, Greg Nordholm (Diane Wright Nordholm) and Christina Nordholm (Hugh Robertson); treasured grandchildren, Gabriel Nordholm Blinderman and Erica Clare Nordholm Robertson; loving sister-in-law, Kathryn Eynon; nieces, Elizabeth Eynon-Kokrda (Robert Kokrda) and their children Jessie and Bobby, Dorothy Ryan (Dan Ryan) and their children William, Regina and Kathryn, Mary Potter and her son Robert; and nephew David Halek along with dear friends, cherished neighbors and community members who were blessed to know her.
A service honoring Lee's life will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, May 20, 2011 at Calvary Episcopal Church in Summit, followed by a reception in the Parish Hall.
Friends are welcome to send a memory of Lee to the Church or to make a post to dramalee.nordholm @gmail.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Chatham Community Players, P.O. Box 234, Chatham, NJ 07928 or to the Calvary Episcopal Church for their Parish Life and Music Fund, c/o Calvary Episcopal Church, 31 Woodland Avenue, Summit, NJ 07901-2149.