HAMPDEN – Eleanor “Ellie Mae” Veilleux, 87, wife of the late Aurele “Pete” Veilleux, passed away Thursday, May 19, 2011, surrounded by her loving family at a Bangor hospital. She was born Oct. 2, 1923, in Brewer, the daughter of Charles and Maude Brown.
Eleanor graduated from Brewer High School in 1940 and married in Denver in 1944.
She enjoyed her home, gardening, painting, tap dancing, playing her Yamaha organ and attending Air Force reunions throughout the country with her husband of 62 years, but most of all, she enjoyed being a stay-at-home loving mother and wife. She was an inspiration to her children and a role model for care and compassion. She was a member of Hampden Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Post No. 4633.
Eleanor is survived by her three children, Suzanne Cyr and husband, Joseph, of Old Town, Bonnie Frend and husband, Peter, of Cumberland Foreside and James Veilleux and wife, Barbara, of Bangor. She is also survived by nine grandchildren, Michael Cyr of Old Town, Chris Cyr of South Portland, Julie Gibowicz and husband, Joseph, of Sudbury, Mass., Rebecca Whitmore and husband, Dennis “DJ,” of Old Town, Peter Frend of Bolton, Mass., Patrick Frend and wife, Jillian, of Long Island City, N.Y., Andrew Frend and wife, Kristan, of Minneapolis, Timothy Frend and wife, Jessica, of Bethesda, Md., and Casey Veilleux of Portland; and nine great-grandchildren, John Cyr, Genevieve, Rose and Isabel Gibowicz, Cameron and Sydney Frend, Elizabeth and Katherine Frend and Ruby Whitmore. Within 12 hours of her passing, Eleanor was again blessed with two new great-grandsons, Griffin Frend and Ian Whitmore. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, Aurele “Pete” Veilleux; and brothers, Walter and Milton Brown. The family thanks the compassionate staffs at Winterberry Heights Assisted Living and St. Joseph Hospital for the loving care she received.
At her request, a private service for the family will be held noon Tuesday, May 24, at Hampden-Gilpatrick Funeral Home. Interment will be at Locust Grove Cemetery, Hampden. In lieu of flowers, donations in Eleanor’s memory may be made to her charity of choice – Manna Ministries, 629 Main St., Bangor, ME 04401. Condolences or memories may be shared through
www.hampdengilpatrick.com.