WEBSTER – Eleanor E. (Finnegan) Gawle, 84, died Tuesday, March 11, 2014 in Lanessa Extended Care after a period of declining health.
She leaves her husband of 64 years, Henry P. Gawle; 4 children, Karen A. Moseley and her husband William of Woodstock, CT, James P. Gawle and his wife Georgia of Webster, David N. Gawle of West Springfield, and Suzanne A. Hagstrom and her husband Brian of Woodstock, CT; 14 grandchildren, Jeremy, Ann, Sara, Marc, Ryan, Eric, Jennifer, Amanda, Jonathan, Jesse, Myra, Joshua, Hannah and Jeremiah; 6 great-grandchildren, Everest, Parker, Mitchell, Jillian, Keagan and Aaron; a brother, G. Ronald Finnegan and his wife Mary of Holmdel, NJ; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her daughter-in-law Brenda Gawle and by her sister Margaret Gaudette.
She was born in Webster, the daughter of George and Gertrude (O’Hara) Finnegan and was a lifelong resident. She graduated from Bartlett High School in 1946 and then completed studies at the Worcester School of Business Science.
Mrs. Gawle was first a secretary at Harvey Wells Company in Southbridge and then at Cranston Print Works Company in Webster. She then was, along with her husband, co-owner of Point Breeze for 40 years, retiring in 1989.
She was a communicant of Saint Anthony of Padua Church in Dudley and previously was a member of Saint Louis Church in Webster. She belonged to the Emblem Club. She also volunteered at Food Share in Webster for many years.
Her interests were many: she enjoyed reading, excelled as a seamstress and embroider and played a winning game of pinochle. She had an ease with words: she completed crossword puzzles and spent much time playing boggle and scrabble. Her family was her treasure.
The funeral will be held Saturday, March 22, from the Sitkowski & Malboeuf Funeral Home, 340 School Street, with a Mass at 10:00 AM in Saint Anthony of Padua Church, 24 Dudley Hill Road, Dudley. Burial will be in Mount Zion Cemetery. The family will receive relatives and friends from 8:15 to 9:15 AM on Saturday, March 22, in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations in her name may be made to either the Webster Lions Club, PO Box 471, or to Food Share, Inc., c/o United Church of Christ, Federated, 4 Church St., both in Webster, MA 01570.