Eileen Margaret McLaughlin

Eileen Margaret (Cunningham) McLaughlin of East Longmeadow and Punta Gorda, FL, died on February 17, 2019 at Baystate Medical Center. She was born in Springfield, MA November 7, 1933 to the late Joseph and Mary (O’Dowd) Cunningham. She was a graduate of Cathedral High School and Regis College, Weston MA. Early in her career, she taught at Westover AFB at Bowie School, Chicopee, MA. Later, she was a reading teacher and a reading coordinator at Dryden Veteran’s Memorial School in Springfield. She resided in East Longmeadow and was a communicant at St. Michael’s church. She was past president of the St. Michael’s Woman’s Club. After retiring, she and her husband moved to Punta Gorda, FL. There she was a communicant of Sacred Heart church in Punta Gorda, and a Eucharistic Minister. She was active in the KOC Women’s Auxillary. Eileen was a caring and giving woman, who had a passion for her career and a deep love for her family. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her brothers, Joseph E. Cunningham (Marjorie O’Keefe) and John L. Cunningham (Ruth Connor); a sister, Mary L. Tetro (Dudley) and several nieces and nephews. She is survived by her loving husband of 59 years, Edward G. McLaughlin; a daughter Mary Elizabeth of Southington, CT; 2 sons, James E. of Chicopee and Joseph C. and his wife Pamela of Watertown; and 2 grandsons Niels and Conor Thomsen. Calling hours for family and friends will be held Friday, February 22, 2019 from 4-7PM at Forastiere Smith Funeral Home, 220 North Main Street, East Longmeadow, MA. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 23, 2019 beginning at 9AM from the funeral home, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Michael’s Church, 128 Maple Street, East Longmeadow, MA. Interment will follow in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Springfield. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Perkin’s School for the Blind at: www.support.perkins.org. For online condolences please visit www.forastiere.com.