Written by the Family

Jan. 21, 2015:  Eileen Fay Fishburn of Chevy Chase, MD, and formerly of Bethel, CT, Camp Hill, PA, and Jacksonville, FL, passed away on Sunday, January 11, 2015, from complications of brain cancer. She was 61 at the time of her death.

Eileen was born in Weymouth, MA, the daughter of Patrick Joseph and Helen Frances (Murphy) Fay and was raised in Braintree, MA, and Stamford, CT. Ever the passionate believer in the power of education, Eileen graduated from Newton College (now Boston College) in 1975 before pursuing her MBA from Iona College.

Eileen earned tremendous success in her career in sales and marketing, primarily with IBM and Astellas Pharma. Prior to joining Astellas, she spent nearly a decade building and operating her own doll manufacturing business, Dolls Plus.

Following a move to Jacksonville, FL, Eileen became an active volunteer with the Wounded Warrior Project--a cause she avidly supported honoring her father, who is a WWII veteran and two-time Purple Heart recipient, and her son, who is an active duty Naval Aviator with the US Navy.

However, Eileen's success could never be adequately measured by her résumé. Her greatest roles were as a loving wife to her husband of 35 years, Blair, and devoted mother to her three children, Bryan, 30 (Parkton, MD), Kyle, 28 (LTJG, US Navy, currently stationed in Japan and Whidbey Island, WA), and Meghan, 25 (Washington, DC). She instilled in them the values of strong faith, and, above all, unconditional love of family.   

These values will be perpetuated in succeeding generations, which include Eileen's first grandchild, Matthew Gregory, 6 months, son of Bryan and wife Kalie, 28. Blair grew up and lived in Bronxville for more than 15 years and graduated from Bronxville High School in 1972. He was the son of Junius R. Fishburn and Laura "Molly" (Fishburn) Griffith. This kindled a lifetime of friendships between Eileen, Blair, and their many friends from the Bronxville community.

In addition to her husband, children, and grandchild, Eileen is survived by her parents of Madison, CT; siblings Kathleen Black and husband Jon of Fairfield, CT, Robert Fay and wife Maureen of Norwalk, CT, William Fay and wife Martha of Apex, NC, Paul Fay and wife Janine of Clinton, CT, and Thomas Fay of New London, CT; and sister-in-law Ann Cary Orminski of Yakima, WA.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, January 23, 2015, at 11:00 am at St. Theresa's Catholic Church in New Cumberland, PA. Visitation with the family will be held before the mass from 9:30 to 10:30 am at Parthemore Funeral Home (1303 Bridge Street, New Cumberland, PA).

Memorial contributions may be made in Eileen's name to Wounded Warrior Project: https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/default.aspx?tsid=72.

To send messages of condolence to Eileen's family, please visit www.Parthemore.com.