Eileen B Mallon

Eileen Blundell Mallon, age 88, of Highland Beach, FL passed away peacefully at home with family by her side on February 19, 2021. She was born in Akron, OH on November 22, 1932 and preceded in death by her parents Helen Closson Blundell and Charles Blundell; her aunt Catherine Pond Phillips and uncle Frank Pond who raised her from the age of 13; and her granddaughter Ashley Nebel.

Eileen is survived by her beloved husband and best friend of 66 years, Philip Joseph Mallon; children Linda Mallon, Laurie Nebel, and John Mallon (Kris); grandchildren Amy Pappas, Chelsea Mallon, Jeffrey Nebel, Carly Mallon, Jenna Caputo and Tessa Caputo; great grandchildren Sophia Pappas and Landon Pappas; the cousins who she grew up with - Nancy Brown and Clayton Pond; and many dear cousins, nieces and nephews.

In 1954, Eileen and Phil were married following her graduation from Syracuse University. In the first of many shared adventures over a span of seven decades, they moved to Ashiya, Japan where Phil was stationed in the Air Force. Daughter Linda was born there prior to their return to the States in 1956.

They settled in Bristol, CT, where daughter Laurie and son John were born. With a bit of wanderlust and yearning for a warmer climate, they moved to Boca Raton, FL in 1960. Boca was a quiet little seaside town and Eileen loved the outdoor lifestyle for raising children, playing tennis and outings to the beach. Once the children were in school, Eileen received her certification as a Montessori teacher. She taught preschool at local Montessori schools for many years, enriching the lives of countless children with her passion for early childhood education, kind heart, creativity and patience.

In 1969, influenced by the “back to the land” movement and their love of New England, Eileen and Phil purchased an old farmhouse and 90 acres in West Windsor, VT. They devoted their summers to restoring the land, creating beautiful gardens and hosting memorable family gatherings, including their annual July 4th celebration. Eileen was never happier than when she was in her VT gardens or kitchen, especially if her children and grandchildren were nearby. And if they were, she included them fully in the experience, much to their delight. Eileen and Phil retired in the 1990’s and began spending half the year in VT until moving to FL full time in 2010.

One of Eileen’s favorite quotes comes from Mother Teresa: “Not all of us can do great things, but we can all do small things with great love.” That quote captures the essence of how Eileen lived her life. Every day she did countless small things through her acts of love and kindness, without fanfare or expectations, to support and enhance the lives of others. She led with a quiet selflessness, gentle heart and unshakable inner strength. Eileen’s love language was expressed through her actions. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She was supportive, accepting and nonjudgmental. She chronicled the lives of her family with wonderful photo albums, journals and scrapbooks. Eileen was a fabulous cook and enjoyed creating special meals for those she loved. She taught herself to quilt and made more than a hundred over the years; for special milestones and occasions such as the 1,000-piece Millennium quilt she made for each of her children, and for children she didn’t know through the Wrap A Smile Charity. She planned theme parties with handmade invitations and created engaging games, was a devoted correspondent particularly when those she loved needed it most and reveled in her hobby of entering contests for family members. Her delight with a big win was a thrill for us all. She was a great listener and there were many people over the years who trusted and confided in her.

Eileen had an endearing, whimsical childlike side and derived joy from the simple pleasures in life – a laughing child, a field of wildflowers, a new idea for a quilt, a good mystery book, a graceful bird flying by, chocolate cake, winning at Rummikub and giggly moments of teasing, tickling and slightly mischievous behavior.

Eileen led by quiet example in loving life, putting family first, treating all people and the earth with utmost respect, and facing adversity with acceptance and resilience. Eileen loved angels and they were a recurring theme in her life. Many who knew her described Eileen as an angel on earth. Our beloved angel is now soaring with her heavenly counterparts. She will always be in our hearts and forever missed.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions in memory of Eileen B. Mallon may be made to Wrap A Smile c/o Ann Demeranville, 915 Woodvine Rd., Asheville, NC 28803 or Parkinson’s Foundation at www.parkinson.org or Parkinson’s Foundation, 200 SE 1st Street, Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131. In addition to financial contributions, Wrap a Smile welcomes quilt donations in Eileen’s honor. Quilters can email [email protected] for shipping information, and be sure to mention Eileen.