Elinor P. Gancarz

After a very brief illness, Elinor P. Gancarz passed peacefully to eternal rest at home in Wallingford on October 10, 2021. She lived a full and active life for her entire one hundred years and was ready to join the love of her life Walter, who had passed last year at age 102. She was born on Mother’s Day , May 8, 1921, and received word on her birthday in 1945 that World War 2 ended in Europe, and that her fiancé Walter would be coming home soon. They married later that year on October 30th, and they were still a loving couple 74 years later when he passed in 2020. Walter and Elinor resided in Hamden during the years their children were growing up, and eventually retired to Wallingford in 1983.

Together they raised three children Marilyn (Frank) O’Connor of Fredericksburg, VA, Nancy Murtha of Golden, CO, and Walter (Linda) Gancarz of Cheshire CT. Her children in turn provided her with seven grandchildren – Lt. Col (Ret.) Ph.D. Terry (Ann Marie) O’Connor of Satellite Beach, FL; Kim (Frank) Fisher of Kensington, MD; Travis Murtha Esq. of Denver, CO; Sandy (Nick) Besch of Arvada, CO; Jaclyn (Tony) Mongiello of Marblehead, MA; April (Dan) Varricchio of North Andover, MA and Tiffany (Chris)

Ross of North Andover, MA, and 13 great grandchildren, all of which were fortunate to get to know Elinor. She always showed great interest in communicating with her grandchildren and great grandchildren, and they were always happy to sit and talk and laugh with her. She was the true matriarch of the family and an inspiration to all of us.

Elinor was born in New Haven as the first, daughter of Edwin and Gladys (Pierce) Priest. Her sister Marilyn followed the next year, and they grew up together in East Haven and established a lifetime loving relationship. Elinor worked at banks in New Haven both before she was married and then returning to work once her children were in school, retiring from Second New Haven National Bank in 1983. She was a member of St. Thomas Episcopal

Church in New Haven and taught Sunday School there.

Into their nineties, Elinor and Walter travelled throughout the country and overseas visiting/vacationing with family members. Of special note were their annual visits to their grandchildren while they were in college, travelling the entire eastern seaboard to spend time with them and ‘see how they are doing.” Elinor loved playing golf with her sister Marilyn, cousin Marion, and her son’s mother-in-law Ebba Hintz. She also enjoyed playing cards with family members, although she had a habit of getting distracted telling stories!

Eight years ago, they moved into Masonicare Independent Living in Wallingford. Interestingly, Elinor had delayed their move to Masonicare because at age 92 she “didn’t want to live with a lot of old people”! Much to her surprise, Masonicare provided everything they could ask for- a comfortable apartment, medical care when needed, companionship and friends, and the social benefit of having lunch in the dining room daily. Most importantly, it provided the Continuum of Life Walt and Elinor so desired. Even after being confined to a wheelchair with a stroke in December 2019, Elinor still actively interacted with her friends and neighbors and spent many afternoons outside chatting with them.

She will be missed dearly by all of us, but we are fortunate to have been graced by her presence, learned from her, and been loved by her. We are sure she will be welcomed into Heaven by her husband Walter, along with her parents, sister, and friends and relatives that have gone on before her.

The family would like to thank all the MidState and Yale New Haven Medical staff, Masonicare Rehabilitation (especially Chelsea and Kerry) and caregivers Nikki, Jessie, Denise, and Jan who cared for mom.

Her family will receive relatives and friends at The Wallingford Funeral Home, 809 North Main Street Ext., Wallingford, CT on Saturday November 13, 2021, from 9 to 10am. A funeral service will be held in the funeral home at 10am. Interment will follow at In Memoriam Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in Elinor’s honor can be made to: Masonicare Health Center, 22 Masonic Avenue, Wallingford, CT 06492.

www.wallingfordfh.com