Eleanor Mary Cleary

Eleanor Mary Cleary, a loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, passed after a brief illness on August 18, 2023. Eleanor was born July 20, 1936 in College Point, New York.

Eleanor was predeceased by her husband, Raymond Cleary, her parents, Mary Ellen and Frank Hauser, and her brothers, Henry and Frank Hauser.

Eleanor grew up on Long Island graduating from Port Jefferson High School in 1956. Eleanor spent her summers on Lake Ronkonkoma where she met, and married Raymond Cleary. Together they raised seven girls: Colleen McCarthy (Kevin), Ellen Belmont (Tony), Caryl Wollert (Bill), Kathleen Rivers (Kip), Patricia Sacca (Mike), Anne Drake (Matt), and Jennifer Cleary. Along with her seven daughters, Eleanor had seventeen grandchildren, and seventeen great grandchildren.

Eleanor lived in Bayport, New York raising her seven girls while she also worked as a teacher’s assistant in the Bayport-Blue Point School District. She attended Our Lady of the Snow RC Church and enjoyed being a member of the Sayville Yacht Club. Eleanor and Ray moved to Florida where they lived until Rays untimely passing in February 2001. Eleanor moved to Greensboro North Carolina, and then to Wilmington North Carolina to be closer to family. Eleanor loved to travel, cook, entertain, work in her garden, and spend time with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She loved the beach and spent many summers at Davis Park Fire Island.

A mass will be held at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 6650 Carolina Beach Rd Wilmington, NC 28412 on August 28, 2023 at 9:00 am with a reception to follow at the Dolphin Bay clubhouse, 917 Tarpon Drive, Wilmington, NC.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to either: St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church (Special Religious Education Program) or to Lower Cape Fear Lifecare. The links will be located under “Memorial Gifts & Donations”.