Eleanor "Ele" Gillean, 64, passed away Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Memorial Mass: 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at Holy Family Catholic Church, 6150 Pershing Ave., Fort Worth. Graveside service: 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in Greenwood Memorial Park. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of your choice. Eleanor was born March 13, 1946, to William Ewell and Eleanor Teefy in Philadelphia, Pa. She graduated from Highlands High School in San Antonio in 1964 and later moved to Houston where she met John, her future husband. Ele's father was in the Air Force and as a child she traveled extensively with her family. Her brothers, Bill and Bob, followed their father's footsteps into the military. She was a retired executive secretary working 30 years in the oil and gas industry with Pool Energy, Texaco and finally, Burlington Resources. She also volunteered at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest. Survivors: Husband and partner of 22 years, John E. Gillean; brothers, William Ewell, Robert Ewell and David Ewell and wife, Susan; nieces, Vicki Noll and Ashley Ewell.
Published in Star-Telegram on January 2, 2011
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Barbara Bowers
It is with great sadness that I am writing this remembrance of Eleanor. I always called her Eleanor. We went through junior high and high school together. She was tall so in the Brigade she was a Jolly Green Giant. Years later we both ended up in Houston and visited there. The next time I saw her was at the 2009 reunion - thank goodness for those reunions. I found her waiting to get a drink with her husband, John. It had really been a long time I guess since I had talked to her because they had been married over 20 years. They seemed to make a great team. She was, as always, laughing and smiling. And then she told me that she had contracted cancer some time before. She described the treatment to me which was severe, in my opinion. And just before the reunion she found out that the cancer had gone to her liver. She was living in Fort Worth. Her brothers were living there. She and her husband had a travel trailer and enjoyed getting out. She was retired. She loved her life. I checked in with her every now and then via email. She never, ever sounded a vote of alarm, even as she told me that she was discontinuing the latest treatment because it was so harsh. Knowing what she had been through before I can only imagine how difficult that treatment was. But there was always the smile in her "voice" through the emails. She sounded upbeat. The way I found out she had passed away was from an email from her address. I eagerly opened it up and found burial plans for her. John had sent out the information through her email. I am glad he did or I would not have found out.
Eleanor Ewell was a wonderful, caring, friendly person. She had a fabulous sense of humor and a beautiful smile and great laugh. She was so happy that night that I saw her. It was wonderful to see that she had found such happiness with her husband. She told me that he was constantly by her side helping her with anything and everything. I will never understand why she had to leave this life so soon. I know she is at peace now and no longer suffering.
Sorry, but I'm just shaking my head over this one. She was just a fabulous person with a fabulous smile and personality. I am so thankful we were able to reconnect. Sincerely, Barbara Bowers