Eleanor E. Innes, 79; Former Riverside Resident Who 'Loved the Beauty of Greenwich Point and Binney Park'

From Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home.

Eleanor E. Innes, 79, passed away peacefully on December 9, 2014, with her daughters by her side.

Born on August 10, 1935 in New York City to Evelyn and William Eggers, she was the beloved wife for 56 years of James W. Innes, who predeceased her in 2011. She was the cherished mother of Deborah Innes and Pamela Strasburg and her husband Mark, and treasured grandmother of Emily and Christopher Strasburg.

Eleanor’s greatest pleasure was spending time with her family and friends. She was kind and loving, always seeing the good in people and inspiring others to do the same. Her beautiful smile would light up the room, as her sense of joy radiated to all around her.

Ellie began her devotion to family and friends while growing up in Scarsdale, NY. She attended Skidmore College before moving to Williamstown when she married in 1955. She worked in the Williams College Art Department while she started friendships that would last throughout her life. She and Jim moved to New York City for his years of Medical School and then settled their family in Connecticut.

A resident of Riverside for over 47 years, she embraced the pleasures of life there and was devoted to service in her community. She was passionate about entertaining, cooking, gardening and the arts, and was an avid reader, never without a book. She loved the beauty of the town of Greenwich, especially Greenwich Point and Binney Park, where she spent countless hours walking her dogs and sharing time with loved ones.

A member of Innis Arden Golf Club for over 45 years, she was active with tennis and golf and loved the family of friends she developed there. She volunteered in the Greenwich schools and many community projects as she was raising her family and was devoted to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

She was an accomplished traveler, starting with trips to Europe during her teenage years. Many of her fondest memories were travel adventures shared with her family and friends and her home was filled with photographs and paintings from those travels. She and Jim spent winters in their home in Bonita Bay, Florida after he retired, where they grew their circle of friends with whom they shared a love of golf, enjoying the beach and sunsets over the Gulf, and their joy of entertaining. She moved to Edgehill in Stamford with Jim in 2011, and enjoyed making new friends, joining the Garden Club and taking trips to local museums and the opera.

Eleanor is also survived by her brother Richard Eggers and his wife Lynda, her brother-in-law John Innes and his wife Marianne, and her beloved nieces and nephews and their families.

A funeral service will be held at 1 pm on Saturday, December 27 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Riverside, with a reception at Innis Arden to follow. There will also be a Celebration of her Life, which will take place in the Spring, with details to be shared at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Eleanor’s name to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 200 Riverside Avenue, Riverside, CT 06878.

The Innes family extends our heartfelt appreciation to the Doctors and Nurses and all who are a part of the Greenwich Hospital Hospice team for their compassionate care in her final days.

Her family and friends will remember her for her grace, kindness and sense of humor. She will be forever missed and remembered with love.

Photo from Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home.