Eileen Georgette (Jacoby) Olwell
July 21, 1932 ~ June 6, 2022 (age 89)
Obituary
Eileen Georgette Jacoby-Olwell entered the world on July 21, 1932, the third child to Charles and Marion Jacoby, in Pittsburgh, PA. She would be one of five children from this loving union and would go on to fearlessly conquer her future and defy expectations from the world around her.
Eileen was born with a curiosity that fueled her ambition, and a gentle spirit that would endear her to everyone who had the good fortune to meet and know her. Although Eileen was challenged with a significant hearing deficiency, she approached her future with bright optimism, hard work, and confidence that would serve her in all dimensions of her life. She overcame her hearing loss by learning to read lips, so much so, that people would have no idea of the extent of her hearing loss. Eileen also had a mischievous streak, which provided a window into her sense of humor and what some would call gumption - when attending Catholic school as an adolescent, she purportedly snuck into the room of one of the nuns, absconded with said nun's undergarments, and then preceded to hang them from a tree on the campus! Eileen loved to reminisce about her life experience. She often spoke of her uncle Jake, who was a gregarious fellow, entrepreneur, and by all accounts, her male counterpart. Jake's pet name for her was "Gasoline", which is nothing shy of apropos.
Eileen had a life-long and insatiable appetite for reading. She loved history and learning about a wide variety of subjects. She read everything from Moby Dick to works by Howard Stern to The Enquirer, and a favorite pastime of hers was to peruse bookstores, which she never left empty-handed. Eileen was an artist. She created many works both in watercolor and oil, finding this outlet as another talent that brought her great joy. The same eye for painting manifested in her sense of style. Eileen loved to coordinate her daily outfits from top to bottom to purse. Though she had many pairs of shoes for these ensembles, she will be most remembered for her love of her Bass Weejun Penny Loafers.
Always up for company, one would be greeted by Eileen saying, "step into my office", which in other homes would be the breakfast nook. The dining table was her desk, always with an open book as a centerpiece, and everything she would need within a comfortable arms reach, including the daily Albuquerque Journal, cigarettes and a lighter, a pen and paper, her fashionable glasses, crossword puzzles, and of course, more books. The office was more of a command center, with easy access to everything else with a swivel of her chair. Of equal importance, much like her mother, her requisite coffee was consumed only from a China cup, and it was equal parts coffee and milk.
Eileen was fully committed to her family. After her father suffered a stroke, the family moved to Albuquerque, and she assumed responsibilities as breadwinner. She was dedicated to this role as head of household indeed and in spirit for her entire life since. Upon the death of her beloved brother, Gene, Eileen reunited with a former crush, while back in Pittsburgh for Gene's services. Eileen and Freddie Olwell would soon marry, serving as a testament that through immeasurable sorrow, life also offers a path to unknown levels of joy and fulfillment for those who are open to seeing and embracing it. Eileen and Freddie would be blessed with a marriage that lasted 28 years until his death in 2008.
Left to celebrate this remarkable woman is her younger sister, Susan Martin, who was her house mate, constant companion, confidant, sister-friend, and primary caregiver in her later years; younger sister Dorothy Kuhar, from Wheeling, WV, who is a kindred spirit, and added countless pieces to Eileen's wardrobe over the years - it was their thing; many nieces and nephews from California to Germany, great and great-great nieces and nephews, and adored neighbors and friends. Eileen is now reunited with her beloved husband, Fred Olwell, loving siblings, Carolyn Burciaga and Gene Jacoby, her loving parents Charles and Marion, and many others who supported and inspired her life.
A funeral service with eulogy will be held on Friday, June 24, 2022, 10:00a.m. at FRENCH-Lomas. A graveside Service & Interment will follow at 11:00a.m. at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Luncheon reception will immediately follow in Corrales.
To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.
Services
VISITATION
Friday
June 24, 2022
10:00 AM to 10:30 AM
FRENCH - Lomas
10500 Lomas Blvd. NE
Albuquerque, NM 87112
GRAVESIDE SERVICE
Friday
June 24, 2022
11:00 AM
Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Albuquerque
