EILEEN AHEARN

AHEARN Eileen Marie Ahearn Eileen Marie Ahearn, wife of Frederick L. Ahearn, Jr., entered peacefully into eternal rest on Friday, March 25, 2022. Eileen grew up in Brooklyn and Stuyvesant Town, NY, and never lost her love for the Big Apple. During her college years at Fordham University, Eileen volunteered at New York's Foundling Hospital, where she provided loving care for newborn infants. Sensing her special talents and passion for children, Foundling Hospital awarded Eileen a scholarship to attend Catholic University's National Catholic School of Social Service in Washington, DC. It is there that Eileen met the love of her life, Fred Ahearn. Fred could not resist Eileen's Irish freckles, and they experienced many happy times with classmates at the 823 Ratskeller and other haunts around Washington. Fred discovered a second family with Eileen's parents, Patrick and Marie McRell, with whom the couple passed countless pleasant times at their cabin in the Poconos. The luck of the Irish followed Eileen and Fred, as they were engaged on St. Patrick's Day, married in the main chapel of St. Patrick's Cathedral on New Year's Eve, and enjoyed their first toast as husband and wife at Central Park's famous Tavern on the Green restaurant; an auspicious beginning to a wonderful 61-year marriage. Fred and Eileen were soon blessed with three daughters, born on Long Island, NY, and raised in Needham, MA. Over the years raising her daughters, Eileen demonstrated an immense store of energy and an insatiable appetite for learning. She earned a Master's Degree and Ph.D. in Education from Boston College while the girls grew. In addition, Eileen built an impressive career, starting at the Quincy Public Schools. Eileen was the founder of the Assabet Valley Collaborative, an innovative partnership enabling eight school districts in Central Massachusetts to share and leverage special education and other services for children across the area. The Collaborative is going strong to this day, now encompassing fifteen districts. Eileen was honored at the Collaborative's 40th anniversary celebration in 2016, where she expressed that building the Collaborative was her most meaningful professional accomplishment. Eileen also served as Superintendent of Schools in Maynard, MA, where the governor awarded her the Mary E. Tobin Award as Outstanding Massachusetts Educator and role model for women. When their girls were grown, Eileen and Fred returned to Washington, DC, where Eileen worked for many years as a Policy Analyst for the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE). Eileen's pioneering work in the field of special education in charter schools resulted in the creation by the National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools of an award named after her - the Eileen M. Ahearn Visionary Award. Eileen's achievements served as an inspiration for many, but nothing brought her more pride and satisfaction than her family. In addition to her husband, Eileen is survived by and deeply loved by her three daughters, Laura Ahearn, Peggy Schroeder, and Kerry Ahearn, their spouses Rick Black and Mark Schroeder; as well as five cherished grandchildren - Patrick and Luke Schroeder, Colby and Georgia Brown, and Mellie Black. A funeral mass honoring Eileen will take place at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 22, 2022 at St. Matthew's Cathedral in Washington, DC, followed by a celebration of her life, and internment at Holy Cross Abbey in Berryville, VA. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Mary's Center, the recipient of hundreds of baby blankets lovingly knitted by Eileen, or to the Eileen Ahearn Scholarship at Catholic University's National Catholic School of Social Service. Remembrances may be shared at devolfuneralhome.com.Eileen's achievements served as an inspiration for many, but nothing brought her more pride and satisfaction than her family. In addition to her husband, Eileen is survived by and deeply loved by her three daughters, Laura Ahearn, Peggy Schroeder, and Kerry Ahearn, their spouses Rick Black and Mark Schroeder; as well as five cherished grandchildren - Patrick and Luke Schroeder, Colby and Georgia Brown, and Mellie Black. A funeral mass honoring Eileen will take place at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 22, 2022 at St. Matthew's Cathedral in Washington, DC, followed by a celebration of her life, and internment at Holy Cross Abbey in Berryville, VA. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Mary's Center, the recipient of hundreds of baby blankets lovingly knitted by Eileen, or to the Eileen Ahearn Scholarship at Catholic University's National Catholic School of Social Service. Remembrances may be shared at devolfuneralhome.com.