Eileen Eggleston

Eileen McDermott Eggleston died on March 16, 2020 at the age of 85 with her daughter Ellen by her side.

Eileen was born on February 14, 1935 in Pueblo, Colorado to Eileen McDonnell McDermott of Pueblo and George McDermott of Victor, Colorado. As the first-born of the Pueblo cousins, Eileen was surrounded by an adoring extended family of grandparents, aunts and uncles. The arrival of brother Jerry six years into her only-child reign caused some consternation, but she got over it. Throughout her life she loved and remained close to her immediate and extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins who inhabited her Pueblo childhood.

Eileen attended Pueblo Catholic High and received a nursing degree from Loretto Heights College. She married Earl Elton Eggleston of Salida, CO and they had two daughters, Ellen and Sue. Eileen was married to Earl for almost 57 years.

Eileen spent parts of her very full life in Denver CO, La Canada CA, Colorado Springs, Santa Fe NM, and San Clemente CA. Other than teaching her little kids to make peanut butter on toast so she could sleep through breakfast, she devoted much of her life to raising her family. She volunteered at school, library and church functions. She had prodigious talents for imposing the rule of law and intimidating teenagers. Her exacting standards earned her the moniker "Camp Eileen" but the rewards were many. Early on, she'd attach the water bag to the Olds Cutlass and take her kids on summer road trips. She taught them to play tennis and encouraged their piano, art, and sporting endeavors. She passed on her appreciation of books, music, travel and, later, good wine. Mostly she and Earl were generous, providing their children with wonderful educations, broad experiences, good examples, and a lot of (mostly) sound advice.

When her two grandchildren were born, she loved nothing more than spending time and having fun with them.

Eileen worked as a social worker in South Central Los Angeles in the turbulent late 1960's. Later, she owned and operated a women's fine clothing store in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In between, she devoted a great deal of time as a volunteer at the Fine Arts Center and Penrose Hospital, both in Colorado Springs.

Throughout her life, Eileen loved sports, including tennis, baseball, and hockey. She shared her deep knowledge of these sports with her family and we learned to love them, too. Now we will think of Eileen whenever we watch Rockies baseball and curse the owner's stupid, feckless trades.

Eileen also excelled at many things. She threw fun and sometimes extravagant parties. She had a sharp eye for fashion and design. She loved hearing traditional jazz played live and was generous in her support of its musicians. And during her happy San Clemente years, she blossomed into her own excellent kind of beach bum, the kind who walks on the sand wearing shoes and never gets her hair wet.

Eileen made many close and enduring friends throughout her life. She seldom saw them in late life because of chronic health issues, but she loved her friends and her memories of them.

One of Eileen's most defining characteristics was the grit with which she weathered life's challenges and sorrows. Her fighting spirit shone particularly bright toward the end of her life, when she tried so very hard to overcome numerous setbacks. She was a warrior to the bitter end.

Eileen is predeceased by her mother and father and her husband, Earl. She is survived by her daughters Ellen and Sue, brother Jerry (Gerald P.) McDermott, sister-in-law Rosemarie McDermott, grandsons Errol Lord (Anne) and Killian Lord, four great-grandchildren, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

Eileen will be buried next to her husband at Ft. Logan National Cemetery. Shelter-in-place and related Covid-19 orders prohibit us from gathering to honor her life at this time. A private graveside service will be held in the future. Once large gatherings are permitted, family and friends will be invited to celebrate Eileen's life at a place and time to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her honor may be made to the Colorado COVID Relief Fund at HelpColoradoNow.org, or to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.