Eileen Kathleen Cronin's Obituary
Eileen Kathleen Cronin
October 19, 1929 – December 30, 2025
Eileen was born in New York City in 1929, daughter of Margaret (Hughes) and Joseph Blake. She was one of five siblings, including three sisters, Midge, Patsy, and Mary Jane, and a brother, Joey. Like many families of their era, the Blake family was impacted by the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression that followed. Eileen spent the formative years of her life living closely with her siblings and parents in a small walk-up apartment in Jackson Heights, Queens. Eileen carried many of the life-lessons learned during those difficult times through the remainder of her long and generous life.
After high school graduation, she worked as a telephone operator, a sales clerk, and a secretary at Columbia University among other part-time work. While her siblings went on to fulfilling marriages and careers; Eileen turned to God. In September of 1951 she entered the convent of The Sisters of St. Joseph in Brentwood, Long Island. While serving God as a nun, Eileen also taught throughout the New York City school system forming life-long friendships with fellow educators and students alike. Along the way she also earned her Master of Arts Degree taking night classes at Hunter College. In February of 1970, Eileen was called to serve a new purpose when her beloved sister, Mary Jane, passed away, leaving behind her widower, Bill, and five young children. In the Irish tradition, Eileen selflessly left the convent to marry Bill and raise the children.
Over the course of her next 55+ years, Eileen held multiple jobs including teacher (math and Latin), business owner, volunteer, but most of all, mother. Eileen formed deep friendships throughout her entire life that she maintained and treasured. Upon hearing of her passing, one of Eileen’s friends perfectly summed up her life this way: “She had a unique sense of humor we all enjoyed especially when things in our own lives weren’t going so well. She always gave us words of wisdom during those times.”
Eileen moved to Lewes, DE, in 2021 at the age of 91, where she continued to charm and amuse new friends with her intelligence, wit, and sense of humor. She was a force and will be remembered by her family and friends as a woman who loved deeply, played hard, and made all of us laugh. Throughout her entire life, Eileen maintained an unshakable faith in God and in Heaven, where she now rests comfortably with her husband, son, and family.
Remaining with wonderful memories are her four children: Janice, Bill, Jean, Paul, her son-in-law, Pete (Janice), 10 grandchildren, and 6 great grandchildren. Eileen will be forever remembered by her many nieces and nephews and countless friends including The Merry Widows of Summerfield, Florida and The Holy Rollers of Mountain Lakes, New Jersey.
A mass will be held at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Belleview, Florida at 10:00am on Wednesday, January 28th; all are welcome. The mass will be followed by a small family interment at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul which fed and clothed Eileen’s family as well as many others during the Depression. Eileen remained grateful and supportive to this organization throughout her life.
Please sign Mrs. Cronin's Tribute Wall at this site.
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