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Elinor Mary (Hirsch) Moyer, 88, formerly of 20 Pine Avenue, Elysburg, passed away Saturday, Dec. 24, in Promedica Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Sunbury, surrounded by her loving family.
Born August 27, 1934, in Mount Carmel, she was the daughter of the late Mary Agnes (Shetulsky) and Edward Anthony Hirsch.
She married her high school sweetheart and love of her life, Ronald “Ronnie” Moyer, on August 13, 1955 in Our Lady’s Church, Mount Carmel. Her “Forever and Ever” love preceded her in death on June 26, 2015.
Elinor was a 1952 graduate of Mount Carmel Catholic High School, Mount Carmel.
In her early years, she worked at the candy counter in Woolworths and Weis in Shamokin. When she moved to El Paso, Texas, with Ronnie, who was serving in the Army at the time, Elinor worked as a bookkeeper in Southwest National Bank of El Paso. When she returned home, she continued her banking career, working at Union National Bank and Liberty State Bank, both of Mount Carmel. She also worked for a time at Stecker’s Stationary Store in Mount Carmel. In 1983 she was the first hire at the Mount Carmel Nursing Center, where she was business manager for seven years. Afterwards, she worked part time at the Christmas Shoppe at Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg, and years ago, was fondly known as “Grammy” during her time volunteering at her daughter’s daycare. Grammy loved rocking the babies and spending time with the toddlers, there.
Elinor loved her Catholic faith and was a member of Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Church, Elysburg. For a time, she served as a Eucharistic Minister and as a member of the prayer chain. She belonged to the Catholic Daughters. Mom prayed constantly and loved the Blessed Mother, Saint Joseph, and St. Jude in particular. She said novenas to help family and friends regularly and reminded them to say nine Hail Marys every Tuesday for a surprise. She said an Immaculate Heart of Mary sister told her that decades ago and she’s been saying them and getting surprises ever since.
Earlier in life, Elinor frequently gave blood at Red Cross drives and earned her gallon pin. She was a long-time and faithful supporter of St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, the Carmelite Nuns, the Saint Pauline Center, and the Salvation Army.
Elinor was a small woman, but had a strong spirit. When diagnosed with breast cancer decades ago, she was scared, but determined to fight the disease every step of the way. Sadly, this disease returned to her later in life.
Most of all, Elinor was a loving and caring mother to her four daughters and their husbands, whom she loved as sons, and her grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was happily looking forward to the birth of her fifth great-grandchild, a girl, Scarlett. Elinor was matriarch of her family and will be missed beyond measure.
Elinor was a fan of the soap opera “Days of Our Lives” since its inception and met some of the cast. She also loved visiting Knoebels and enjoyed sitting on her favorite bench to watch the performances at the bandshell. She was an avid reader and for decades spent every day reading The News-Item.
Mom loved people and she could strike up a conversation with anyone.
Surviving are her daughters, Kathy (John) Connaghan, Elysburg; Patricia (Stuart) Rhoads, Stonington; Janet (Jim) Cecco, Elysburg; and Maryfrances (Trevor) Knoebel, Elysburg; her seven grandchildren, Sean (Jessica) Connaghan, Kyle (Emily) Connaghan, Courtney (Ted) Deljanovan, Ronald Rhoads, Ethan Knoebel, Sydney Rhoads, and Alex Knoebel; four great-grandchildren, Bobby, Caroline, Jane, and Molly Connaghan and a great-granddaughter-to-be, Scarlett Deljanovan; three siblings, John “Jake” Hirsch, Mount Carmel; two sisters, Sister Marie Therese, Immaculata, PA; Lorraine Chicalo, Paxinos; a sister-in-law, Maryann Bieda, Coal Township and a brother-in-law, Francis Moyer, Maryland; and several nieces and a nephew;
In addition to her parents and husband, Elinor was preceded in death by brothers Aloysius Hirsch, Leonard Hirsch, and Thomas Hirsch.
A viewing will be held Wednesday, Dec.28, from 9 a.m. until 12:00 noon at Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Church, Elysburg. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 12:00 noon in the church. Burial will be held in All Saints Cemetery, Bear Gap, following Mass. Donations in her memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Church.
Rothermel-Heizenroth-Clark Funeral & Cremation Services Inc., 387 W. Valley Ave, Elysburg PA 17824 has been entrusted with arrangements.
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