PERINI, Eileen Callahan Of Medfield and Cohasset, MA, formerly of Dover, MA, died peacefully on Saturday, March 31, 2018 surrounded by her beloved family. Loving wife of David B. Perini, beloved mother of Jennifer of San Francisco, CA, Kristin and husband Bill Driscoll of Hingham, MA, Timothy and wife Patricia of Harrison NY, Andrea of Brooklyn, NY and the late David Jr.
Daughter of Margaret Lynch and Denis Callahan. Sister of Mary Guarente, Margaret Callahan, Noreen Cronin, Denis Callahan, Kathleen Grannan, Christine Shanley, and the late Ann Tibbetts and John Callahan.
“Mimi” to her 10 grandchildren, Eileen was born on August 8, 1937 and raised in Arlington, MA. She attended Arlington High School and graduated from Cardinal Cushing Jr College in 1957. Eileen married David B. Perini in 1962. A lifelong learner, Eileen returned to school twenty seven years later, and at the age of 47, while still raising five children, earned her Bachelor of Arts from Wellesley College in 1984. She went on to receive her Masters in Clinical Social Work from Boston College in 1988, and worked as a psychotherapist at BC for several years.
Beyond her husband, children and grandchildren, the central passion of Eileen’s life was her work for the Jimmy Fund’s David B Perini Jr Quality of Life Clinic, which she and husband David established at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in 1992, soon after the death of their son David Jr. at age 26. Determined to make something meaningful of this tragedy, she dedicated herself to growing the Clinic and supporting the Dana Farber. She was a 29-year participant in the Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk as captain of “Team Perini” and was annually one of the Walk’s top fundraisers. For 19 years, the David Perini Memorial Golf Tournament was held to support the Perini Quality of Life Clinic, and in 1996, Eileen was instrumental in securing a partnership with Swim Across America to benefit the Clinic and the Dana-Farber. Team Perini has also participated in the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge for more than 25 years, raising more than $5M for the Clinic.
In 2010, Eileen and David created an endowment to support the Dana Farber’s Adult Survivorship Program in perpetuity. With this endowment, the Perini Family Survivors’ Center was created and is now comprised of the Adult Survivorship Program and the David B. Perini, Jr. Quality of Life Clinic. There are thousands of cancer survivors whose lives are better because of the Center, the services it provides, and Eileen and David’s efforts to create and support it.
In addition, Eileen joined the Dana-Farber Board of Trustees in 1990, furthering the Perini family’s partnership as one of Dana-Farber’s “first families.” Her husband David served on the Board for many years, and his father, Louis R. Perini, was a Founding Trustee of the Institute who served on the Board from 1948-1972 and helped to create and establish the Jimmy Fund. Her daughter Jennifer is currently a Dana-Farber Trustee. Eileen became a Distinguished Trustee in 2014. Her extensive service as a Trustee included dedicated time as a member of the Jimmy Fund Advisory Executive Committee, Adult Patient and Family Advisory Council, and Nursing and Patient Care Visiting Committee. Eileen was also a member of the Friends of Dana-Farber for multiple years.
In 2013, Eileen and David received the Jimmy Fund’s highest honor, when they were awarded the Boston Red Sox Jimmy Fund Award for their family’s decades of support.
Eileen was a prolific painter and loved to fill her home with light and beauty. She loved to learn, particularly about world religion and psychology, and was always reading and taking courses. She was an avid walker, and could be seen taking her daily power walks around Dover, rain or shine. Eileen was a beautiful person with a beautiful soul who absolutely loved being around people.
More than anything, Eileen loved to be with her husband of 55 years, David, their five children and ten grandchildren. She cherished her eight sisters and brothers, who remained a central part of her life until the end.
A Mass to celebrate Eileen’s life will be held Thursday, April 5 at 1pm at Church of the Most Precious Blood, 30 Centre St., Dover, MA 02030. Rite of Committal to follow at Woodlawn Cemetery, 148 Brook St., Wellesley, MA 02482. Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday from 4-8pm at the George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 477 Washington St., Wellesley, MA 02482. Relatives and friends are all invited.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The David B Perini Jr. Quality of Life Clinic, Jimmy Fund/Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA, 02215.