Eileen Louise Lavelle

In Loving Memory of Eileen “Grannie” Lavelle

Eileen Lavelle was a woman of faith, wit, and extraordinary heart. Despite living most of her life in sunny Southern California, she was a proud Irish woman, and a Cleveland-er through and through, embodying their best traits—the gift of the gab and the ability to not just tell a good joke, but to take one, too. To be with her was to share a story and a hearty laugh.

A devout Catholic, Eileen’s faith anchored her life. She served faithfully at St. Killian’s Catholic Church, where she assisted with Stephen Ministry, fundraising, and bereavement, and proudly called herself the parish “bean counter”—a title she wore with pride. She was a cherished member of what the parish priest fondly called “the St. Killian’s mafia,” a spirited circle of devoted church-goers whose presence filled the same pews every week. Her faith made her a survivor—steadfast through challenges that might have broken others, enduring them with courage, grace, and her trademark sense of humor. Her daily prayers carried her through life’s challenges and joys. She prayed vigilantly for her loved ones, and we’re all living proof that those prayers worked. We’ll certainly miss that.

Eileen was a dedicated working woman and a model of independence. As a career executive secretary at Rio Hondo Junior College, Owens Corning and Spancrete, she was known for her precision, professionalism, and perseverance. She took pride in her work, her colleagues, and the stability she created for her family. Her life was built on determination and a deep sense of purpose.

Family was her heartbeat. She is lovingly remembered by her children Maureen and husband Mark Poliquin, Colleen and husband Patrick Roque, and Kevin and partner Pam Obmann; her grandchildren Kara and husband Timothy Fornara, Jeremy, Patrick and wife Kimberlynn, and Allison; and her extended grandkids by marriage, Aimee, Benjamin and Christopher Poliquin, and great-grandchildren Sorcha and Franklin Fornara, Theodore and Gwendolyn Lavelle. She also leaves behind her extended family—the Doran clan—and all the many branches of her sprawling Ohio crew. She came from fighters and loved her brothers dearly: “I remember with love and pride my brothers—Bernard, Donald, Thomas, Kenneth (who served in WWII). These were brave men.” That pride never dimmed. She spoke of them often and re-told their stories of heroism. She was our last true connection to the greatest generation. She also adored her other Doran siblings, Bernice, Alice, Fredrick, Joseph, Paul and James. She is now reunited with her beloved husband Hugh, her dear friend Bill Youngblood, and the many loved ones who went before her.

Her life was full of faith, laughter, friendship, and family. She was the matriarch who connected generations, the storyteller who held history, and the heart that kept everyone close. Though she has left this world, her spirit remains with us—in our laughter, our stories, and our prayers.

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”

– Proverbs 31:25