Keohane Funeral Home

Eleanor C. (Kearns) Flathers, ofHingham, formerly of Sudbury and Biddeford Pool, Maine, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 26, 2018. She was 97. 

Born and raised in Woburn, she was the daughter of the late Michael and Anne (McNulty) Kearns. Eleanor attended local schools and graduated from Woburn High School with the Class of 1938. She attended Burdett College, and worked at the Federal Reserve Bank in Boston as executive secretary to its president.

Eleanor was the beloved wife of Neil T. Flathers. The two married on June 18, 1955, and shared 63 loving years of marriage. She was the devoted mother of Jean Ricketts and her husband Scott of New Jersey, Mary Wood and her husband Bruce of New Hampshire and Karen Doyle of Scituate. Eleanor was the loving grandmother of Lindsay and Andrew Ricketts, Kelly and Matthew Wood, and Glenn, Patrick and Colleen Doyle. She was a loving aunt to many nieces and nephews, and had many loving cousins. She was preceded in death by her dear siblings Anne Conley, William Kearns, Winifred Kearns, Thomas Kearns, Mary Kearns, and Margaret Cullinane. 

A homemaker, Eleanor raised her family with love, devotion and strong morals. Eleanor was a woman of faith, and built her life around the virtues of faith, hope and charity. She was kind and gentle, aselfless and loving person who was always ready to help others.

Eleanor’s children and grandchildren were the light of her life. She loved to go on ski vacations with her family, and, although her attempts at skiing didn’t always go as planned, she was happy to watch from the lodge and knit. When she lived in Maine, she loved spending time at the beach with Neil and her children and grandchildren. She and Neil also spent many winters in Florida, and they enjoyed trips to Hawaii, Canada, Ireland, and elsewhere in Europe.

Eleanor’s smile could light up a room and her personality was infectious. She always made others feel welcome and loved. Although she had health challenges in her later years, she never lost her beautiful smile or the twinkle in her eye and always maintained the capacity to offer unconditional love to those around her. She will be greatly missed by all the lives she touched. 

Eleanor’s family would like to thank the staff of Rose Court at Linden Ponds for the compassionate care they provided for the last ten years of her life. Their dedication to her was truly a blessing.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the visiting hours on Friday, January 4th from 4 through 8 PM at the Pyne Keohane Funeral Home, 21 Emerald St. (off Central St.), HINGHAM. 

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at the funeral home on Saturday, January 5th at 9 AM prior to the Funeral Mass at the Church of the Resurrection, Hingham at 10 AM. 

Services will conclude with interment in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Scituate. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Eleanor may be made to Alzheimers Assn., MA Chapter, 309 Waverley Oaks Rd., Waltham, MA 02452.