Eleanor Louise Freddo

1927 - 2021

Eleanor Louise (Morrison) Freddo, 93, a resident of Bolton for 75 years, passed away peacefully on Jan. 22, 2021, at Crestfield Rehabilitation Center, in Manchester.

Eleanor was born on May 27, 1927. She was the daughter of Thomas R. and Lillian (Hammond) Morrison. She grew up in East Hartford, graduating from East Hartford High School in 1944. It was during her senior year of high school that Eleanor met her future husband, Joseph Angelo Freddo of Hebron. Following their marriage on Aug. 10, 1946, they settled in Bolton. During this period, Ellie held part-time bookkeeping positions with several businesses and worked some evenings at a family-run restaurant. Eleanor and Joseph had two sons, Thomas, and Steven. As the children grew, Eleanor worked part time as the accounts bookkeeper, first at Manchester Country Club and later at Glastonbury Country Club. She took an increasingly active role in the apolitical aspects of Bolton town affairs. With her strong organizational skills, she played central roles in the development of various community activities including establishment of a public swimming lesson program for children, and Cub scouting. She was also among those pushing for Bolton to build its first-ever Junior/Senior High school, which graduated its first class in 1967. Prior to that date, all Bolton students were bused into the Manchester School system after 8th grade. She also contributed to the altar boy program and other community activities of her parish, including the fundraising effort to build today's St Maurice Catholic Church. She was among the group in town that organized the first little league baseball program. That effort included construction of an excellent baseball diamond at what was then the Bolton Dairy. Little did she know, at the time, that one of the daughters of the owner of Bolton Dairy, would marry her son, Steve. Eleanor always enjoyed entertaining, especially when entertainment was centered around playing bridge. The weekly evenings of bridge, with a rotation of different couples, provided ample opportunity to share her baking skills. Her baking was also appreciated at Christmas, when she prepared a variety of cookies from scratch, arranged them on trays and gave them as gifts to friends and neighbors. Ellie shared wonderful friendships with Bolton families. In summer, many weekday afternoons were spent with her children at a bridge partner's cottage on Bolton Lake, where the moms would play bridge overlooking the lake, while the children swam. On weekends, she often hosted cookouts attended by the families of her brother and sister or the families of their closest friends, with whom they often vacationed. In her later years, Eleanor enjoyed watching her grandchildren and then her great-grandchildren grow up and she was very active in the activities of the Bolton Senior Center. After the passing of her husband Joseph, in 2016, she was determined to remain in her home, which she was able to do until just weeks before her passing. That only became possible with the support of family and a remarkable group of neighbors and friends including Susan and John Erwin and their children, Norm and Gerry Tessier, Kelly McShea, Richard McDonald and Bolton Fire Department Chief Bruce Dixon. Her guardian angel during this period of her life was her niece Christine (Morrison) Beaulieu, assisted by her sisters, who provided Eleanor with endless care and support.

Eleanor is survived by her son Thomas; her daughters-in-law, Janice (Riley) and Sharon (Negro); her brother-in-law, Russell Hull; her sister-in-law, Jane (Sasiela) Morrison; and three of her four grandchildren, Heather Modzelewski of Somers, Christy Martinez of Crestview, Florida, and Catherine Freddo Skowronek, of Baltimore, Maryland. Eleanor is also survived by her three great-grandchildren, Keegan, Izabella and Peyten; and many nieces, nephews, and their children. She was predeceased by her husband of over 70 years Joseph; her son Steven; her grandson Matthew; and by her siblings, Thomas Morrison Jr. of East Hartford, Shirley Hull of Manchester, and Richard Morrison of East Hartford.

She will be interred with her husband Joseph at Bolton Center Cemetery. When the COVID pandemic has abated, a memorial service will be held. Those wishing to attend should send a note indicating their interest to the Samsel and Camron Funeral Home, 419 Buckland Road, South Windsor, CT 06074.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be sent to either the Bolton Senior Center at 222 Bolton Center Road, Bolton, CT 06043 or the Bolton Fire Department at 168 Bolton Center Road, Bolton, CT 06043.

Please visit

www.carmonfuneralhome.com

for online condolences.