McGrath, Eleanor L.Conroy

Eleanor Louise (Conroy) McGrath, age 95, of Simsbury, Connecticut, passed away peacefully on January 11, 2023. Eleanor was born on March 19, 1927, in Island Pond, Vermont. She was the daughter of Eleanor (Sloan) Conroy and Benjamin J. Conroy, Jr. At the age of five, she moved with her parents and two older brothers to her father's ancestral home in Brooklyn, New York. She attended Holy Innocents School, where she met her future husband, the late A. Donald McGrath. While in her teens, Eleanor had a brief modelling career and studied dance, at which she excelled and enjoyed all her life. She was further educated at Sacred Heart schools and completed her education at Duchesne Finishing School. In 1951, Eleanor married her childhood sweetheart Donald McGrath in Brooklyn, New York. Following a honeymoon to Nantucket, a place that remained special to Eleanor all her life, they moved to Hartford, Connecticut and in 1954 to Simsbury, Connecticut, where they raised their four daughters. Family was at the center of Eleanor and Don's lives, and together they introduced their daughters to skiing, sailing, and swimming. Eleanor saw motherhood as her vocation, whether she was reading bedtime bible stories or doing art projects with her daughters. She was a compassionate person who was always available to listen to those who came to her for advice. With her husband, she taught her daughters concern for others through the many kind actions she performed, with a particular concern for people who were alone or marginalized in any way. In 1964 Eleanor and Don began bringing their family to Martha's Vineyard for summer vacations, which led to the building of a home for Eleanor and Don's retirement and many vacations with their daughters and extended family. There they built a cherished network of friends. During this time Eleanor took painting classes and completed a number of scenic paintings that now hang in her daughters' homes. Eleanor had a love for writing and wrote poetry all her life. She was a literacy volunteer and also read books to children at the Martha's Vineyard Boys and Girls Club. Eleanor also developed a circle of good friends on Marco Island, Florida, where she and her husband spent the winter months in retirement, and where she was a member of the Art League. In addition to her husband, Eleanor was pre-deceased by her brothers Benjamin J. Conroy, Jr. and John S. Conroy. She leaves her daughters, Patricia McGrath of Marshfield, MA; Susan McGrath (Jack) of Old Saybrook, CT; Shelaugh McGrath of Avon, CT; and Ellen Skaret (Steven) of Simsbury, CT; as well as three grandchildren, Meaghan Takla (Paul), Julia McGrath, and Molly McGrath, and two great-grandchildren, Charlie and Clara Takla. Calling hours will be held on Friday, January 20 from 4PM to 7PM at Hayes-Huling & Carmon Funeral Home, 364 Salmon Brook St., Granby, CT, 06035. The funeral mass will be held on Saturday, January 21, 11am, at St. Catherine of Sienna Church, 265 Stratton Brook Rd., West Simsbury, CT 06092. Burial will follow in Simsbury Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in Eleanor's memory may be made to the Martha's Vineyard Boys and Girls Club, 44 Robinson Road, Edgartown, MA 02539, c/o Dhakir Warren, Executive Director. The family wishes to thank the McLean staff; Seniors Helping Seniors; ComForCare, in particular Eleanor's main caregiver Vernette, as well as Judy and Joy; Johnson Memorial Wound Care Center and McLean Home and Hospice, for their wonderful care of Eleanor, especially in the last four years. For condolences and directions please visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com