Eleanor Jean Gilsenan
Eleanor Jean (Martincek) Gilsenan of Chatham passed away peacefully in her home on Friday, December 30, 2016.
Born on October 5, 1926 in Monaca, PA, she was the daughter of Peter and Tena Martincek.
Eleanor graduated from Monaca High School in 1944 and went on to the Mercy School of Nursing in Pittsburgh, PA where she received her Registered Nursing degree in 1947. From there, she moved to Washington, DC and worked at the Bethesda Naval Hospital until 1952, at which time she married and moved to Philadelphia. Later in life, she worked for the North Jersey Blood Center in East Orange before retiring in 1992.
Eleanor was a resident of Chatham for 54 years and a parishioner of St. Patrick Church, Chatham, NJ.
Her first love was spending time with her family and her grandchildren, always baking cookies and preparing everyone’s favorite foods. Eleanor also enjoyed reading historical fiction novels, music and playing canasta with her friends.
She was predeceased by her beloved husband, James Francis Gilsenan, in 1989. She was the loving mother of four children: Jean Twomey of Chatham, Valerie Moodie and her husband Cliff of Harding, James Gilsenan and his wife Karen of Chatham, and Peter Gilsenan and his wife Sandra of Berkeley Heights. She was “Nanny” to her eight grandchildren: Justin and Andrew Moodie, Tyler, Colby and Stephanie Gilsenan, and Brooke, Delaney and Tucker Gilsenan.
She was predeceased by four sisters: Elizabeth Bishop, Lillian Juhasz, Frances Reed and
Agnes Leister and survived by two dear brothers: Richard Martincek, his wife Beverly, and Edward Martincek, his wife Peggy, and many nieces and nephews.
To celebrate Eleanor’s life, a Mass will be held at St. Patrick Church, Chatham, NJ at 11 am Friday, January 6, 2017. Visiting hours will be Thursday, January 5 from 4 to 7 pm, at the Bradley Funeral Home, 345 Main St. Chatham, NJ.
In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made in Eleanor’s memory to St. Patrick Church, 41 Oliver Street, Chatham, NJ 07928, or to the Chatham Emergency Squad, Inc., 45 Spring Street, Chatham, NJ 07928.