WESTFIELD – Eleanor (Higgins) Toomey passed away peacefully on April 28, 2018. She was born to William Martin Higgins and Beatrice Jane (Wheeler) Higgins on May 4, 1924, in Pittsfield, MA. She graduated from St. Joseph’s High School and on September 9, 1946, she married her Irish sweetheart, Patrick C. Toomey, a WWII veteran who emigrated from Ballyneety as a young boy. Together they raised seven children, first in Pittsfield, then in New Jersey and finally in Westfield. Their home was a haven to friends and family who came by to watch Sunday football, play music and always find good cheer. In 1965, they founded Toomey Associates, Inc. in Westfield. After 53 years, the company continues to operate successfully. “Gigi,” as her grandchildren and many others knew her, had a keen eye for antiques, a love of merriment, and made friends easily and quickly with people from all walks of life.
Besides her parents, many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends, she was predeceased by her husband, Patrick C. Toomey, in 1998, by her daughter-in-law, Sherrie Toomey, in 2009, by her eldest son, William G. Toomey, in 2016, and by her brother-in-law Daniel Toomey in 2017.
She leaves six children, their spouses and families; a daughter Maureen and her husband Rick Kane of Westfield, a daughter-in-law Bernadette Toomey of Granville, a son Christopher and his wife Sandi Toomey of Concord, MA, a daughter Jane Toomey of Westfield, a son Neil and his wife Debbie Toomey of Becket, MA, a son Jerry Toomey of Chester, MA and a daughter Carmel and her husband Chris Steger of Westfield. She leaves 14 grandchildren: Joshua, Jason, Bridget, Patrick, Christine, Maureen, Patricia, Michael, Renalyn, Norah, Conor, Kathleen, Mary Grace and William, and 17 great grandchildren.
Although she was an only child, Eleanor was born into a large family. Her mother was one of 13 children and her father was one of 10. She leaves her dear sister-in-law, Moira (Toomey) Putnam of Evanston, IL, and many nieces, nephews and cousins there and in the Berkshires. She leaves loving cousins in Ireland whom she visited with her husband Patrick many times throughout their married life.
Funeral services for Eleanor will be held at the Westfield Funeral Home, Westfield, MA, on Thursday, May 3, 2018 from 10 am to 12 pm with a memorial service at 12 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts in Eleanor’s memory be sent to Friends of Grandmothers’ Garden, PO Box 1432, Westfield, MA 01086 or to the Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, D.C. 20090. Westfield Funeral Home and Cremation is assisting the family with these arrangements. Please visit www.westfieldfuneralhome.com for Eleanor’s memorial page.
