Eleanor Frances (Glavin) Philben, age 91, of Natick and South Yarmouth, passed away on Tuesday June 21, 2016, at Mary Ann Morse Healthcare Center in Natick. She was the wife of the late Paul Leo Philben Sr.
Born in Boston, she was a daughter of Frances (Lynch) and Richard Glavin, late of West Roxbury. She graduated from Dedham High School and later married and moved to Natick where she raised her family and resided for nearly 60 years. She had been employed with New England Telephone and Telegraph and was a 70-year member of the IBEW.
An avid golfer, Eleanor was a member of the Bass River Golf Club in South Yarmouth. She enjoyed working in her gardens and had been a member of the Framingham Garden Club. She loved watching the birds in her backyard feeders and walking the beaches of Cape Cod and Maine. But most of all, she loved spending time with her family and friends.
Eleanor is survived by her children Nancy Philben of Natick, Paul Philben Jr and his wife Dorine of Trumbull, CT, Richard Philben of Natick, Michael Philben of Bel Air, MD and Mark Philben and his wife Vickie of Millis. Her grandchildren Dr. Heather Philben of Brookline, Mark Philben Jr of Millis, Lily Philben of Stamford, CT, Paul Philben III of Boston, and Ellie Philben of Bel Air, MD. She is also survived by her sister Gail Glavin of West Roxbury, her brother-in-law John Ward of Uxbridge, and longtime family friend Virginia McCarthy of Yarmouth Port. She was predeceased by her sister Jeanne Ward of Uxbridge. In addition, Eleanor is survived by 11 nieces and nephews, many grandnephews and grandnieces and great grandnephews and nieces.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in Saint Linus Church, 119 Hartford Street, Natick, on Saturday, June 25th at 10:00AM. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Interment will be at St. Joseph Cemetery, West Roxbury.
Eleanor’s family would like to thank the staff of the Natick campus of the Metrowest Medical Center, the local office of Home Instead Senior Care, in particular, Verona Mazzei, the Natick Visiting Nurses Association, the Natick Fire Department, and a very special thank you to the staff at Mary Ann Morse Health Care Center in Natick.
Expressions of sympathy may be made in Eleanor’s memory to the Resident/ Employee Fund at Mary Ann Morse Health Care Center, 45 Union Street Natick, MA 01760.