Eleanora Tamborello

Ellie was born on March 29, 1934 in Boston, Massachusetts to Nicholas and Florence Contestable. She moved to Houston when she was in 7th grade and began attending Holy Rosary where she met her future husband and her life-long friends. She graduated from Saint Agnes Academy, where she was voted most popular for three years. She also attended Sacred Heart Dominican College. She began working at Tennessee Gas before she married her grade school sweetheart Charlie. They were married for 40 years prior to his death in 1996 and had four children: Chuck, Cassie, Claire, and Nick.

She was an active parishioner of Saint Michael Catholic Church, where she donated her time teaching Sunday school and was very active in the Women’s Guild and the Theresians of Houston while her children were young. Then, along with her husband, they opened and operated Tamborello Italian Restaurant in Downtown Houston for over 20 years. The restaurant hosted many loyal customers including officers of the Houston Police Department and President George H. W. Bush. Her Italian passion for feeding people good food extended to the homeless folks that would regularly receive a warm meal from her. She also enjoyed her mystery dinner club with the same group of friends for over 30 years. Ellie was passionate about a great many things, but she particularly loved to see the American flag blowing in the wind.

Ellie was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Anthony Tamborello, Sr. and son, Nicholas Joseph Tamborello. She is survived by her daughters, Cassie Tamborello Richmond and husband, Sammy, Claire Tamborello Clark and husband, Jim, and son, Charles Anthony Tamborello, Jr. and wife, Doris; grandchildren, Caroline Clark, Chere Richmond Ayers and husband, Chris, Samantha Richmond, Randa Richmond, Phoenix Richmond, David De La Paz and wife, Laura, Daniel De La Paz, Lizette Solis and husband, Ernesto; great grandchildren, Parker Harvey, Mason Harvey, and Natalia De La Paz; sisters, Laura Martin and Claire Sullivan, and many nieces and nephews.

Friends are invited to visitation with the family from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm with Rosary beginning at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2017 at Earthman Bellaire Funeral Home, 4525 Bissonnet St, Bellaire, TX 77401. The funeral mass will be held at 10:00 am on Thursday, February 16, 2017 at Warren Chapel in Saint Dominic Village, 2401 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77021, with a reception to follow. Reverend Damian Hinojosa will officiate the ceremony. Pallbearers are Tony Gullo, Dave Devine, Ronnie Glauser, Don McCrory, Arland Coleman, and Joe Tamborello. Honorary pallbearers are Bubba Tamborello, Sammy Tamborello, Richie Martin, and Paul Longoria. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Ellie's life. A private burial will take place at Glenwood Cemetery at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to Saint Dominic Village, attention Kim Elliott, 2401 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77021.