Eileen was born on 18 Nov 1934 in New York, and was raised in Seattle, WA where she and Curtis met, sparking the beginning of a 69-year romance. Shortly after, their sons Jim and Terry joined them on their many Navy tours through ports in California, Hawai'i, Minnesota, and Florida until they retired in Pensacola, FL. Eileen was a lifelong musician, being asked to play the violin as young as the first grade for her school's morning presentation of the colors. And during her and Curtis' parties, all inevitably gathered around Eileen at the piano to join her in song and frivolity; her family cherishes the memory of these precious, light-hearted times. Eileen worked in Civilian Personnel at many of these ports, retiring at NAS Pensacola in 1996. She and Curtis continued their service through several volunteer organizations including MOAA, Avant-Garde, March of Dimes, and primarily Kiwanis, where she was recognized as the outstanding Kiwanian of Big Lagoon and awarded Florida's Outstanding Public Relations Kiwanian for 7 years running. Eileen slid into Alzheimer's disease about 7 years ago and we have missed our Sunny Girl. She was a lifelong learner, and her son is known to have bragged that her mere presence in any room raised the room's average IQ. When she and her fellow retired wives gathered for Mahjong, her quick wit always upped the game. Curtis contends any gathering was happier and all enjoyed each other more when Eileen was present.
Eileen is survived by her husband of 68 years, Curtis, her two sons, Jim (Gaylene) and Terry, her five granddaughters Shaye Brotherton, Jessica (Andrew) Matthess, Terrell (Karol) Hatzilias, Elizabeth Brotherton, and Erin Brotherton, her five great-grandchildren Aiden, Juliette, Haley, and Emma Matthess and Keira Hatzilias and brother-in-law Dan (Pat) Brotherton. She is predeceased by her great-grandson, Kegan Hatzilias. Eileen was dearly loved, and will be greatly missed.
A visitation for Eileen will be held Friday, November 26, 2021 from 10:30 am to 11:30 am at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Funeral Mass will begin at 11:30 am. Interment will immediately follow at Barrancas National Cemetery at 1:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to Covenant Care.
Funeral arrangements are entrusted with Oak Lawn Funeral Home.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.oaklawnfunerals.com for the Brotherton family.
