Eleanor P. (Desmond) Miele

Watertown – "Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same." ― Flavia Weedn.

Eleanor Miele was the kind of a woman who left footprints on your heart.

Warm, loving, kind and generous are all good words to describe her. Eleanor used her skilled hands, the depth and breadth of her knowledge about lots of things and her overflowing heart to bring a smile to someone who needed to see one; food to someone who was hungry and companionship to someone who was lonely.

Eleanor P. Desmond was born in Newton on September 11, 1958. She was the much loved daughter of Eleanor P. (Reilly) Desmond of Newton and the late Thomas E. Desmond. She was a lifelong member of Our Lady Help of Christians Church and was a 1976 graduate of the parish high school.

For the past several years she worked as the office manager for Tamkin and Hochberg, a Newton Corner law firm. She loved her job and the people she worked with. Outside of work Eleanor kept busy with projects and people that always involved her family, her faith or her friends. She was on such an errand on Tuesday, March 1, 2016 when she died tragically in an accident in West Newton.

On April 12, 1980 Eleanor married the love of her life, Watertown native George F. Miele, at Our Lady's and the couple made Newtonville their home before moving to Watertown eight years ago.

In addition to her husband and her mother, Eleanor leaves her siblings, Thomas W. Desmond and his wife, Patricia, of Hudson, Mary F. Cicciu and her husband, John, of Cotuit, William J. Desmond and his wife, Susan, of Dracut, Joseph P. Desmond of Newton, Edward G. Desmond and his wife, Sarah, of Hyde Park and Richard D. Desmond and his wife, Kelly, of Chester, Virginia; her sisters-in-law, Patricia Desmond of Brockton and June Miele of Waltham and several nieces, nephews and their families.

Eleanor was also a sister of the late John F. Desmond.

Family and friends will honor and remember Eleanor's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Sunday, March 6th from 3 to 7 p.m. and again at 9:30 a.m. on Monday morning before leaving in procession to Our Lady Help of Christians Church, 573 Washington Street, Newton where her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Ridgelawn Cemetery, Watertown.

Memorial donations may be made to S.P.I.N. (Stray Pets in Need) an organization in Natick close to Eleanor's heart - www.straypetsinneed.info - Their mailing address is P.O. Box 812143, Wellesley, MA 02482-0014.