Eloise Viola

Eloise (Kilcoyne) Viola was born August 5, 1944 in Mt. Kisco, New York, to John R. Kilcoyne and Ann E. Kilcoyne, breaking the pattern theretofore created by the Kilcoynes of having their daughters at Danbury Hospital. She joined her older sisters Judith and Mary Lou at the family home in Brewster.

After graduating high school from St. Mary’s in 1962, she once again broke the family tradition of attending Good Counsel College (now known as Pace University) and instead attended Danbury State College where she graduated in 1966. She did, however, maintain the tradition of attending a college that was renamed after she graduated, as Danbury State College is now known as Western Connecticut State University.

Ellie spent her career as a music teacher in the Carmel School District in Carmel, New York, retiring in 2006.

Ellie was married for several years to Daniel Viola. She was a proud pet owner to her dogs, Boozer and Toto. She very much enjoyed spoiling her nieces and nephews, as well as her great nieces and nephews.

Ellie was the queen of the chocolate chip cookie and strawberry freezer jam. Her family has not yet determined how she made perfectly and consistently sized cookies using two spoons rather than a cookie scoop. She chose not to share this secret.

Ellie was a huge fan of Tom Selleck, saving every magazine with Tom’s picture she could find and nearly every movie he made (on VHS tapes). Like many teenagers with posters on their bedroom walls of their favorite band, yes, Ellie had her own collection of Tom’s posters. She was also a huge fan of thriller fiction and kept nearly every book she read from her favorite authors: Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Catherine Coulter, Nora Roberts, and the classics written by Agatha Christie tucked into every corner of her house. Ellie very much enjoyed jigsaw puzzles, card games, Mahjong, Games Magazine, and a good (or bad) joke shared by email or greeting cards, and often brought a list of a few jokes to family parties to share. Her family is very certain she has saved her best jokes to share with St. Peter.

In lieu of flowers, to honor Ellie please consider donating to the Susan G. Komen Foundation or contributing to the American Red Cross.