Eileen F. Dowling

Eileen Frances (nèe Toomey) Dowling, age 88, of Wyckoff, New Jersey passed away at home on
Thanksgiving evening, 27 November 2025.
Born in Manhattan, Eileen enjoyed a life blessed by family and a large and devoted intertwining
circle of friends. Educated at Good Shepherd School and the Academy of the Sacred Heart of
Mary in Inwood, Eileen completed her bachelor's degree at Marymount Manhattan College and
did graduate work at New York University. Starting her career as a school teacher in the NYC
public school system, Eileen met and married the love of her life, John Patrick Dowling, and
then took what became a permanent leave of absence to give birth to her son Timothy
Redmond, quickly followed by her daughter, Eileen Honore. With the arrival of daughter
Madeleine Joan, the Dowling family moved from Inwood to Ridgewood NJ and where they
welcomed daughter Elizabeth Mary.

While raising her family, Eileen devoted herself to volunteer efforts. Starting with Our Lady of
Mount Carmel school and church, Eileen always contributed to key initiatives. She quickly found
her niche as Treasurer of many organizations, including the Valley Hospital Auxiliary, The
Women Gardeners of Ridgewood and, later, Spring Meadow in Wyckoff. Upon moving to
Ridgewood, Eileen also found her passion – racquet sports. Frequently found on the Somerville
courts and then the Ridgewood Country Club ones when they opened, Eileen always enjoyed a
good game of tennis, winning a number of mixed double championships with men other than
her husband (John was not known for his athletic ability). Eileen added paddle and team
matches to her repertoire before dedicating herself to pickle ball in her later years. Known as
"the Wall," Eileen returned shots robotically while staying out of the "kitchen" – both on the
courts and at home.

Upon the too early passing of her beloved John, Eileen moved to Spring Meadow in Wyckoff
where she cultivated new friends and welcomed many of her Ridgewood friends when they
migrated there. She enjoyed walking, lunches, dinners, pizza nights at the clubhouse and daily
Mass at St. Elizabeth's. Eileen also relished hiking on vacations with her daughters in Peru, Italy,
Norway, Iceland, Ireland and Scotland. Eileen loved to garden, always taking time to smell and
plant flowers. Trips with The Women Gardeners to The Netherlands to see the tulips in bloom
and the Cotswolds to visit the English gardens gave her joy. Eileen was also an active participant
in a book group started at the College Club of Ridgewood, which may be the oldest extant book
group in this area.

Eileen is survived by her son Timothy Dowling (Elizabeth Sweet Dowling), her daughters, Eileen
Dowling, Madeleine Dowling and Elizabeth Dowling, her granddaughters Emily Dowling and
Grace Dowling and many nieces and nephews, including her niece and care-giver Cathy
Littleton, and many grandnieces and grandnephews. Eileen was predeceased by husband, John
Patrick Dowling, her parents Nora (née Codrye) and Denis Toomey, her sister, Veronica Toomey
Haley and her sister-in-law, Joan Dowling McCormick.

The family will receive visitors on Thursday 4 December 2025 from 4-7 pm at the Vander Plaat
Funeral Home, 257 Godwin Avenue, Wyckoff NJ 07481.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday 5 December 2025 at 10:30 am at Church of St.
Elizabeth of Hungary, 700 Wyckoff Avenue, Wyckoff NJ 04781.Interment to follow at St. Luke's Cemetery, Hohokus, NJ

In lieu of donations in her name, the family requests that you plant some flowers, smell the
roses and smile in Eileen's memory.