Eileen O’Brien Paley, 89, passed away on Friday evening, February 1, after a long wonderful life. Mrs. Paley is survived by her husband of 63 years Edmund John “Ed” Paley. The couple raised five children, four of whom are living. The family includes: Reenie Paley Marshall, husband Sam and sons Chris and Alex; Raymond Brien Paley, wife Wanda and daughters Danielle, her husband Read Talley, and Kelly; David Edmund Paley, wife Sheila and children Cassie, Laura, Leanna and Chris, and his wife Jennifer. John Martin Paley (deceased), daughters Star and Ann, and their mother, Beverly Philpot; Mark Andrew Paley and sons Drew and Jackson. Mrs. Paley was blessed with seven great grandchildren.
Eileen Paley was born in Greenock Scotland. Her parents were Joseph O’Brien, born in Londonderry Ireland, and Meta Eileen Burden O’Brien, born in County Roscommon Ireland. The family emigrated to the U.S. in the mid-1920s. Mr. O’Brien came to America first; Mrs. O’Brien followed with her suitcase, a sea trunk and their daughter Eileen, not quite a year old. The family settled in Cleveland Ohio where Eileen was graduated from John Hay High School. Her first job was as secretary at IBM where she rose to increasingly responsible positions.
As children, Mrs. Paley and her sister Sally O’Brien Kubik studied and performed Scottish dance. Among their dances were the Highland Fling, Sword Dance and Irish Jig. Later, as a young woman, Mrs. Paley enjoyed bowling, dancing, traveling with her friends and sewing.
Mrs. Paley continued to love bagpipe music throughout her life. When she and Mr. Paley were married, her father invited a piper to play at the wedding-much to the surprise of the groom! Fifty years later at the couple’s wedding anniversary party, the scene was repeated when son Ray arranged for a bagpiper to perform.
The Paley family moved to Lawrenceburg in 1956. The town became and remains their beloved home. As a community volunteer Mrs. Paley served First United Methodist Church, Lawrenceburg Order of the Eastern Star Chapter #103, and as President of the Ingram Sowell PTA. Mrs. Paley was also a Cub Scout leader with the Middle Tennessee Council Boy Scouts of America, for which she received the Long Rifle Award for outstanding service to boyhood, the first woman to earn the prestigious award.
Mrs. Paley always loved traveling with her husband and children. Destinations in recent years included Hawaii, Columbus and Cleveland, Atlanta, Memphis, Toronto, Denver, South Carolina, California, Florida and Richmond. She enjoyed her time with the Lawrenceburg Friendship Club, as well as her sewing and bridge clubs.
Continuing her lifelong enjoyment of dance, Mrs. Paley especially loved dancing with her husband at the Loretto Senior Center and at every other opportunity, from festivals to weddings to birthday and anniversary parties. After dancing the waltz and polka at an Oktoberfest in Virginia, perfect strangers gathered around the couple to ask about and compliment their graceful performance.
And now, Eileen Paley’s loving friends and family know that she dances with the angels…
Arrangements are being handled by Neal Funeral Home, 231 N. Military Avenue, Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. The family will receive friends from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM Monday, February 04, 2013 at Neal Funeral Home. Funeral services will be conducted at Neal Funeral Home at 1:00 PM Tuesday, February 05, 2013, with Bro. Brent Davis officiating. Interment will follow at Lawrence County Memorial Gardens in Lawrenceburg, TN. Family suggests memorials be made to the First United Methodist Church Christian Life Center in Lawrenceburg, TN.
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