Born in what was formerly known as the Swampoodle Neighborhood of Philadelphia, Eileen graduated from Saint Michael's Business School. Eileen moved from North Philadelphia to Levittown, PA in 1964. Having been a Falls Township resident for 49 years and a member of St. Joseph the Worker Church, in 2013 she moved in with her oldest daughter in Fairless Hills and became a member of the Saint Frances Cabrini Church.
Before taking on her dream job as a full time mother and homemaker, Eileen worked in the secretarial field. When her children became independent she took on a job working in retail at the former Ports of the World/Boscov's Department store located in the Levittown Shopping Center. In 1994, when Boscov’s closed this location, Eileen retired and dedicated her time helping her children raise their children.
In addition to her hard work taking care of her family, Eileen loved to watch her soap operas dating back to the first airing of the Dark Shadows episodes. Her favorite was General Hospital where even while in the hospital and up to her passing she seldom missed an episode. Her kids introduced her to “the'' Facebook and gave her a tablet so she could keep tabs on them, her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She often gave the thumbs up or heart emoji to their pictures and posts.
Eileen loved to shop at Boscov's, spending gift cards that her children knew to give her every birthday, Mother's Day and Christmas. Eileen would always look forward to the opening season of Stewart's to get a chili dog with raw onions and a large root beer float.
She had a sweet tooth and donuts became a favorite food that she often enjoyed and secretly shared with her great-granddaughter, Myla. Eileen always had a positive outlook on life and often offered advice to comfort her children and grandchildren. No matter how big the problem she would say "this too shall pass".
Thank you to all who took care of Eileen at Jefferson Bucks.
Eileen was the loving wife of James W. Lyman for 50 years before he died in 2009. She was the loving mother of the late Joseph Lyman.
Eileen is survived by her children, Deborah Lomas (the late Gary), Eileen Vickers, James Lyman Jr. (Nancy), Maureen Weber, Thomas Lyman (Daria), Charlie Lyman (Gabriela), and Michael Lyman (Brigid). She will also be sadly missed by her 17 grandchildren: Damian Vickers, Aimee Vingless (Joe), Kristin Balaniuk (Dmitrii), Shawn Weber, Charlie Lyman (Amy), Jim Lyman (Michelle), Rachel Weber (Will), Tommy Lyman (Crystle), Keith Lyman, Jesse Weber, Liz Lyman, Brianna Lyman, Sean Lyman, Ella Lyman, Amelia Lyman, Olivia Davis and Matthew Lyman, as well as 18 great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Eileen was preceded in death by her parents Thomas and Mary Leonard, her sister Marie Simons, her brother James Leonard and her grandson Steven Vickers.
Family and friends are invited to call from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM Thursday January 18, 2024 at St. Frances Cabrini Church, 325 S. Oxford Valley Road, Fairless Hills, PA 19030. Her funeral mass will be celebrated immediately after followed by Rite of Committal in Resurrection Cemetery, Bensalem, PA.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the SmileTrain which supports babies with clefts, on-line, at www.smiletrain.org
