Obituary: Ferrell, Mary “Eileen”
Age 91
Born Mary Ellen Cunningham on September 16, 1922 in Monkstown Ireland to Margaret and Thomas Cunningham, she was the youngest of seven children.
Granny Barry, a neighbor who lived next door to the Cunningham’s always supplied the saint’s name for each child as they came along.
If Margaret Cunningham didn’t like the name after the christening, she gave each child a name that she liked, thus Mom’s sister Elizabeth May became Elsie and Mom (Mary Ellen) became known as Eileen.
While working in England during WWII at a munitions factory in January 1944 she attended a dance and met an American soldier by the name of James Ferrell.
They dated for about a month, then he had to leave England to be in the D-Day invasion of Normandy.
Their relationship continued thru letters and actually got engaged thru those letters.
They decided to marry in December of that same year and wed on December 28th 1944.
Dad had to return to the war and it was February 1946 before mom would see him again when she and about 300 other war brides sailed on the Queen Mary to America.
After a five day sailing trip to New York and another five day train ride, she arrived in Spokane.
Eileen and Jim were long time members of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, where Eileen belonged to the women’s guild, cleaned the church and sang in the choir.
She was an expert seamstress and produced countless beautiful articles of clothing over the years with love for family and friends.
Mom was also very talented at knitting and needle point.
Working with other women at the Catholic Chancery she knitted hats for premature babies, and made quilts.
She was a woman of great faith and character and her Irish spirit will be carried on in our hearts forever.
Eileen was preceded in death by James Ferrell, her husband of 49 years; her siblings John, Elsie, Tommy, David, Vincent and Oliver.
Survived by her children, Donna Baker of Sun City AZ, Mike (Jan) Ferrell of Carefree AZ, Pat (Laurie) Ferrell of Mead WA; Grandchildren Jim and Michelle Baker, Tom and Sean Ferrell, and Lindsey Schwaderer(Ferrell); two great-grandchildren, London and Levi Ferrell.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday December 10th at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 4420 N. Jefferson.
Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery.
The family would like to thank the wonderful loving staff and volunteers at Hospice House of Spokane for the care she received.
They were a true blessing, providing warmth, compassion, personal attention, and comfort to her and her family.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Hospice of Spokane, 121 S Arthur St, Spokane, WA 99202.
Please visit Mary’s on-line memorial page at www.hennesseyfuneralhomes.com to leave a message of condolence.