Eleanor M Riddle
...Tewksbury “Sports” Mother; 83
TEWKSBURY - Mrs. Eleanor Marie (Barrelle) Riddle, a well-known “Redmen” sports booster, and proud mother of Tewksbury Sports Hall of Fame members, died Thursday, April 22nd at home in Tewksbury, after a long illness.
She was the beloved wife of James A. “Bimbo” Riddle, who died in 1998, and was also
predeceased by her beloved son, Luke T. Riddle, who died in 2000.
Eleanor was born in Woburn, in August 1937, and raised by her parents Almond and Esther Barrelle, in Woburn and Tewksbury, where she would remain as a lifelong resident.
She graduated from TMHS with the Class of 1955 and went on to graduate from the Bradshaw Business School.
Eleanor was an active member of the Tewksbury Congregational Church for over sixty-five years.
Eleanor was “fifty-yard line mother” who faithfully attended sports events for each of her six children throughout their youth, high school, and college sports careers.
She served on the Tewksbury Memorial High School’s Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors and lived her life as an avid sports fan of professional sports as well.
She will be remembered for her delightful sense of humor, her quick smile, and her limitless patience, inner calm, and ability to “roll with it.”
In addition to raising her “tribe” of six, she worked at New England Telephone, as an executive assistant at the former Millipore Company in Billerica, and later at the Tewksbury-Wilmington Town Crier Newspaper.
In her later years, she was a member of the Tewksbury Golden Age Club.
She is survived by five children, Matthew P. Riddle and his wife Desiree (Gesin) of Tewksbury, with whom she resided, Mark D. Riddle and his wife Shelia (Therrien) of Bradford, John J. Riddle and his wife Cindy-Ann (Fronc) of Windham, NH, Peter J. Riddle of Boston, and Melissa “Missy” Dunn and her husband Christopher of West Bridgewater; eight grandchildren, Melinda “Mindy” Baker of Boston, Shane Riddle and his wife Gina, of Danvers, Emily Riddle of Colorado, Taylor Riddle of Bradford, Alexandra “Alex” Riddle of Connecticut, Chad Riddle of Windham, Lydia and Craig Dunn both of West Bridgewater; two sisters-in-law, Virginia “Ginny” (Danas) Barrelle of Lowell, the wife of her late brother, Richard “Dick” Barrelle, and Audrey Riddle of Wilmington; many nieces and nephews, including her special nieces, Jennifer Barrelle and Lisa Barrelle-Scibilla both of Lowell, and the late Kimberly Sheehan and her loyal companion, Mollie.
Visiting hours Monday, April 26th from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. in the Farmer & Dee Funeral Home, 16 Lee St., Tewksbury. Her funeral services will be private due to Covid restrictions. We welcome friends and family to join us 11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 27, at Tewksbury Cemetery, 172 East St., for her graveside service. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Lowell Humane Society, 951 Broadway St., Lowell, MA 01854 or the Epilepsy Foundation, will be appreciated. Masks, social distancing and gathering limitations are necessary at all venues.