Eileen Hartley

Born February 14, 1945 of John J. O’Connor and Doris R. O’Connor, she died of Alzheimer’s on August 28, 2025. This cruel disease took from us someone who loved to read, played the piano wonderfully, and who remembered everything.

 She is survived by husband of 53 years, Dean S. Hartley III, daughters, Theresa H. Nelson (Eric), Elise H. Henderson (Brian), and Elise’s three children, Caroline, Clare, and Maggie. 

Eileen graduated from Duke University in 1966 with a B.A. in English. She earned her M.A. in English in 1968 from the University of Georgia. She also completed all the coursework for a Ph.D. in English from UGA. She taught English composition over the years at various colleges and universities, including Georgia State University, Northern Virginia Community College, UGA, the University of South Carolina, La Grange College, and Roane State Community College. 

Eileen followed her husband as he moved. This included living in the DC area while he was in the Army, and Spartanburg, SC, and La Grange, GA, when he worked for Milliken, Inc. Then they moved to Oak Ridge when he was hired by ORNL in 1986. In each city, she found a place to teach, as she loved teaching. In the early 90s she served as co-chairman for Voter Service of the Oak Ridge Chapter of the League of Women Voters and was in the 1990 Leadership Oak Ridge class. 

 She also worked as a tutor for the Anderson County Literacy Council and as a volunteer in the Oak Ridge schools, working with elementary students with reading problems. Eileen loved to travel; she and Dean traveled all over the US and Europe, even going to Africa, Australia and New Zealand. However, her most frequent destination was Hawaii. She was there so much that the servers at two of the places she frequented knew her by name. Eileen was a “cradle Catholic” and regularly attended church wherever she lived. In Oak Ridge, this was St. Mary’s Church, where she was an active member of the Bible Study group. These good friends supported each other through their child-rearing years and beyond. The Bible Study members, Roxy Benning, Jane Carter, Marion Cooney, Peg Gruzalski, Joan Kearney, Judy Osucha, Becky Rushton, Linda White, and Diane Wright, provided great aid and comfort during her final illness. 

 Eileen also attended St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church for many years with her husband and had many good friends there too. 

She and her husband were supported by several caregivers in her illness, particularly Marci and Tonya and her “regulars,” Anna-Marie, Emily, Jazmine, Jen, Juanita, Melissa, and Sabrina.

 A Memorial service will be held at St. Stephens Episcopal Church on Saturday September 6th 2025 at 11:00AM, with a reception to follow. A private inurnment will take place later at St Mary’s Catholic Church. 

If you wish to make a memorial gift, please think of the Alzheimer’s Association, St. Mary’s, or St. Stephen’s.