Obituary of Eleanor Mary Riley

Eleanor Mary Riley Bangor - Eleanor Mary (Provost) Riley died peacefully on December 27, 2015 surrounded by her loving family in her home on Webster Ave in Bangor. She was born on November 3, 1915 in Dexter, ME. She was the only daughter in a family of five children to Philip Joseph Provost and Delvina Mary (Clukey). Eleanor was a 1935 graduate of John Bapst High School, a graduate of Beal Business College, and continued her education at the University of Maine. She was employed by the Social Security Administration and the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Maine. She was also a volunteer with the American Red Cross during World War II. Her next employment was as a civil servant with the Quartermasters Corps at Dow Field where she met and married her lifelong husband and best friend, Paul Lloyd Riley. Upon leaving the Air Force, Paul and Eleanor settled in Bangor and started their family. They were strong in their Catholic faith and were members of St. Mary’s Church in Bangor. Her family gave her the greatest sense of joy and accomplishment as she raised her three children with Paul. Maryann Sylvain, Susan Frances Riley and Kevin Paul Riley loved their mother dearly. She was the proud grandmother of six grandchildren, Amy, Shaun, Christopher, Erin, Hannah and Andrew, and three great grandchildren, Riley, Colton and Milo. She had special relationships with her sister-in-law, Alice Provost, her niece, Kim Provost, her daughter-in-law, Vicki Grant Riley, sons-in-law, Tom Stephens and Paul LaPointe and friend Jan Plourde. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews. Paul and Eleanor built a family camp at Lucerne-in-Maine, where they spent many happy hours with their family and friends. She loved taking care of their camp and home, building rock walls and landscaping. She was an avid fan of the Boston Red Sox, competitive swimming, and the University of Maine Hockey Team. She had a great sense of humor and was not a stranger to hard work which allowed her to live 100 happy, healthy, independent years. Eleanor was predeceased by her beloved husband Paul in 2006, after 63 years of marriage. She was also predeceased by her four brothers. Eleanor recently celebrated her 100th birthday in grand style. Family and friends may visit 9:00 to 10:30 AM Saturday, January 2, 2016 at Kiley & Foley Funeral Service, 299 Union St., Bangor. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11:00 AM Saturday, January 2, 2016 after the visitation at St. Paul the Apostle Parish, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Ohio St., Bangor, with a reception in the church center immediately following. For those who wish, memorial contributions may be made to All Saints School, PO Box 1749, Bangor, ME. 04402 or the Bangor Humane Society, 693 B Mt. Hope Ave., Bangor, ME 04401