OBITUARY Eleanor S. Nola February 28, 1926 – November 18, 2018 Eleanor S. Nola, 92 Retired head of housekeeping at St. Vincent’s Medical Center Native Staten Islander Eleanor S. Nola (nee Holly), 92, of Westerleigh, passed away at home on Nov. 18, 2018, of Alzheimer’s Disease. Born and raised in Westerleigh, she attended P.S. 30 and Curtis High School.
She was one of five children of Lillian and Paul Holly. In the early 1940’s, she followed her brother, Paul (Bubby) Holly, as he played for the Blue Devils of West Brighton baseball team. It was there she met her future husband, Charles J. Nola.
Charlie and Sis (as she was known to most) were married on March 4, 1944, while Charlie was home on leave from Camp Polk, La. , and before he shipped out with the 8th Armored Division in Nov. 1944, to serve his country in the Battle of the Bulge.
Their first child, daughter, Terry Ann, was born while Charlie was in Europe. He got to meet her for the first time when she was 10 months old. Charlie and Sis settled in Port Richmond in 1946, and raised three children, Terry Ann (Nola) Burke, Patrick C., and Eleanor M. (Nola) DelRosario.
Sis went to work in 1960 at the former St. Vincent’s Medical Center in the housekeeping department. She soon raised from floor maid, to supervisor, and eventually became the head of the housekeeping department. While working full time, she returned to night classes to earn her GED diploma, which she didn’t receive in 1943 as she was “short” one credit to graduate.
Mrs. Nola was well known and respected throughout the hospital. She retired in 1988 after 28 years of service to St. Vincent’s Medical Center. Sis and Charlie traveled in their retirement, mostly to North Miami Beach, Fla.
, where they spent most of the winter months for 20-plus years. They took day trips to the Jersey shore; particularly Asbury Park. Family vacations on Long Beach Island became an annual event everyone looked forward to and would not miss.
Sis was well known for her knitting talents. When her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were born they all received sweater-and-hat outfits. As they grew, so did the sweaters.
She was a member of the AARP chapter that met at St. Vincent’s and was always knitting and donating hats for the newborn nursery. Friends were always asking her to knit a hat and sweater outfit or crib blanket for their impending grandchildren. She loved to paint all the wooden garden pieces and flower planters that Charlie made.
She also attended many ceramic classes over the years. The green lighted Christmas tree that was very popular back in the day was one of her prized projects. Sis was a lifetime member of the Catholic Daughters of America.
She joined in the early 1950’s with her mother-in-law, Margaret, and continued her membership until she could not get around any longer. Charlie and Sis had just celebrated 56 years of marriage when Charlie passed in 2005. They were both predeceased by their son, Patrick C., in 2003.
Sis is survived by her daughters, Terry A. Burke (David) and Eleanor M. DelRosario (Sal); daughter-in-law, Carol Nola (Patrick); eight grandchildren, Debra Orlando (Daniel), Terrilyn Burke, David C. Burke (Charmaine), Michelle Harrell (Jason), Patricia Venditti (Anthony), Russell DelRosario (Amy), Matthew DelRosario, Jonathan DelRosario (Maria); 14 great-grandchildren; her sister, Jean LaPiedra of Cape Coral, Fla. ; brothers and sisters-in-law; her live-in home health aide, Maxine Cousins, as well as many nieces and nephews. The funeral is Saturday from Harmon Funeral Home.
Funeral Mass is at St. Roch’s Church, 10 a.m. Interment is in Ocean View Cemetery. Visiting is Wednesday and Friday, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Harmon Funeral Home 571 Forest Ave. Staten Island, N.Y. 10310 (718) 442-5056 Published in Staten Island Advance on Nov.
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