Posted on 11/26/2018
Eleanor Marie McFadden Fournier passed away peacefully at her home in Coronado on October 30, 2018. Beloved mother, grandmother, aunt, sister-in-law and friend, she is greatly missed. Eleanor was born in Springfield, MA, the oldest child of William and Bridget McFadden. She graduated from Cathedral High School in Springfield; and from The College of Our Lady of the Elms in Chicopee, MA with a degree in Chemistry. She worked briefly at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, MA and then joined the Navy. After Officers Candidate School, she served at the Pentagon decrypting correspondence. Deciding to make better use of her college degree, she transferred to the medical services and was stationed at Balboa Naval Hospital, eventually becoming head of the Chemistry Lab. While attending different schools for the Navy, Eleanor of Springfield, MA met fellow Naval officer, Paul Robert Fournier of Lowell, MA in sunny San Diego. They were married in June of 1960, and moved to Coronado. She subsequently resigned her commission, and together, they traveled the world, raising a family in multiple duty stations in Europe and on the East Coast before returning to Coronado in 1974. Eleanor worked for the Coronado Unified School District for 11 years at multiple schools – Crown Elementary, Central Elementary, Coronado Middle School and Coronado High School. While at Crown, she worked in Reading Center, helping many Coronado kids learn to read, and forming friendships that would last the rest of her life. She also wrote the lyrics to the Crown Elementary school song. A gracious and welcoming hostess, there was always room for one more – whether it was a spot at the Thanksgiving table for a sailor far from home, a "home" for the college friend of one of her children who missed a flight, another hamburger on the grill on the 4 th of July, or coffee for newcomers to town, be they new Navy colleagues or a new family on the block or in church. Slumber parties were held, and couches were converted into beds for those far from home in need of a place to rest their heads. Eleanor was a faithful and active member of the Sacred Heart Church community. She served on the Parish Council and was involved in Catholic Daughters, the Sewing Club, Altar Society, Small Church Community, and assisting with the weekly counting of donations. She volunteered for any organization her family participated in or attended – Sacred Heart Parish School, the Academy of Our Lady of Peace, St. Augustine High School, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Little League, Bobby Sox, CYSA, to name but a few. The families met and friendships made because of her active involvement in these organizations formed the backbone of family life in Coronado. She and her late husband thoroughly enjoyed every minute they spent with the USNA Class of '56 West. She never stopped learning, her curiosity was insatiable. She attended the University of the Third Age at USD twice a year for 22 years. When macular degeneration made it too difficult for her to read and drive, she enrolled at the San Diego Center for the Blind and took every vision rehabilitation class they offered – Braille, cooking, mobility, computers, to name a few. She volunteered at the Blind Center for many years, maintaining their library of talking books and helping with intake packets. She also acquired a video magnifier, a closed-circuit television, that allowed her to continue to manage her finances, send out greeting cards for every possible occasion, and read the newspaper daily. She was also a regular user of the Coronado Seniors Out and About volunteer driving service. She is survived by her daughter Elizabeth Skelly and grandson Michael of Coronado; daughter Michele Fournier of San Diego; son Paul Fournier, Jr., his wife Julie and grandson Elliott of San Diego; son Joseph Fournier, his wife Staci, and grandsons William, Nicholas and Alexander of San Juan Capistrano; sister-in-law Claire Bureau of Dracut, MA; and numerous beloved nieces and nephews in New England, Illinois, and Texas. She is predeceased by her husband, Capt. Paul Robert Fournier, USN ret., and brother, William McFadden. A Rosary will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, November 23; and a funeral mass will be held at 9:45 a.m. on Saturday, November 24 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 655 C Avenue, Coronado. Interment services will be held at Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, November 26. The family would like to thank Sharp Memorial Hospital and Sharp Hospice for their loving care during the last weeks of Eleanor's life. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to The San Diego Center for the Blind, 5922 El Cajon Boulevard, San Diego, CA, 92155 or sdcb.org.
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