Obituary of M. Eileen (Ryan) D'Alessandro

Mary “Eileen” (Ryan) D’Alessandro PEABODY - Mary "Eileen" (Ryan) D’Alessandro, 91, beloved wife of the late Jino J. D'Alessandro died peacefully in her sleep, Tuesday morning, August 30, 2011 at the Renaissance Gardens of Brooksby Village in Peabody, where she had lived for the past two years. She has been a resident of Peabody almost 50 years, since 1963. She was surrounded by family in her final days. She was a woman of deep faith, quiet dignity and unflagging grace and was an inspiration to all who knew her. Born in St. Paul, MN, on July 1, 1920 she was the daughter of John Peter Ryan and Rose (Gobeil) Ryan and was the eldest of four children, including her two brothers, John and Jim and her sister, Peggy. She attended St. Paul schools throughout, graduating from Humboldt High School in 1938 and then attended St Catherine College (now University) and then St Joseph Hospital School of Nursing where she received her nursing degree. She often stated that the nurses who tended her ill grandmother when Eileen was a teen left a deep impression on her, and she wanted to be able to help others in the same way. Graduating in the midst of wartime, Eileen wanted to do her part, and joined the U.S. Navy where she commissioned as an ensign in 1943. She attended the Great Lakes Naval Training School and was then assigned to Quantico, Virginia in 1943. While stationed there, Eileen met a handsome Marine officer, from Massachusetts, and she knew immediately that Jino was “the one”. Six months later they married on January 29, 1944, in Oceanside, California. Jino was shipped out to the Pacific, and Eileen returned to St. Paul to be with her parents while awaiting their first child, James. Eileen and Jino went on to have a total of nine children over 17 years, while moving from East to West coast and back again due to Jino’s military career; the family resided in Philadelphia, PA Quantico, and later Arlington, VA; Lynn, MA, Fort Leavenworth, KS; and San Diego, CA before settling in Peabody. She was a devoted wife of Jino for 66 years, and a consummate mom who considered motherhood her highest calling. She took great pride and delight in her numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was a devout RomanCatholic who lived her faith and was a regular parishioner of St John’s Parish in Peabody, where she was involved in many volunteer groups over the years. Eileen and Jino both loved to travel and so after their children were grown, they embarked on a series of trips - which often including visits to family who had spread out or the opportunity to search out their own historical roots (Irish and Italian). Their travels took them to Italy, China, Spain, Haiti, Israel, Mexico, Ireland, and France. She is survived by her eight children and their spouses and one son-in-law: James and Elaine of Manchester, NH; Bob and Maureen of Danvers, MA; Ed of Salem, MA; Michael and Mary of South Hadley, MA, Mary and her partner, Joanne Harris of Bass Harbor, ME; Anne and Mark Tomchik, and Ned Steffens, all of Peabody; ; Cathy and Steve Eastburg of California, MD.; and Margie and Frank Carber of Fairfax, VA. She is also survived by her adoring 23 grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren, a brother James and Joan Ryan of MN: a sister Margaret Greco of Utica, NY and sister-in-law Catherine Ryan of St. Paul, MN. She was preceded in death besides her husband, by a daughter Joan Steffens and a brother John Ryan. Her funeral service will be held on Saturday September 3, 2011 at 10 AM from the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St., Peabody, followed by a Funeral Mass at 11 AM at St. John the Baptist Church, Peabody to which relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Visiting hours will be held on Friday from 4 – 7 PM. Burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Salem. Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), 5817 Old Leeds Road, Irondale, AL, 35210.