ELEANORE ELAINE KOSCO
July 30, 1931 – April 25, 2023
On Tuesday, April 25, the world lost a bit of its sparkle with the passing of Eleanore (Ellie) Kosco at the age of 91. A longtime resident of Parma Hts. Ohio, Eleanore spent the last 10 months of her life at Maplewood at Chardon in Chardon, Ohio. Raised in Republic, Pa, the youngest of 6 girls, she was a graduate of Redstone High School where she worked in the main office due to her typing skills. She loved going back there for high school reunions long after she moved to the Cleveland area.
From 1960 to 1988 (when she retired), Eleanore worked for Ohio Bell (now AT&T). She started out as a switchboard operator and moved up the ranks to become a senior statistical clerk and assistant manager. She thrived on anything connected to a number so this was a perfect job for her.
Eleanore taught herself how to crochet. She made many afghans, throws, vests, and even knitted argyle socks. She loved tending to her roses and was known for her Christmas cookies which people looked forward to receiving from her. She faithfully wrote out cards for birthdays, Christmas, and other major holidays to her family and friends right up until the end.
After her husband passed away in 1994, Eleanore filled her time shopping on QVC & HSN. She loved her jewelry. Her favorite color was pink, and you could usually see her wearing anything with flowers or shimmer. Playing penny slots would put a gleam in her eyes. Eleanore would go to St. Bridget's an hour before the start of Mass just to visit with her friends. She was a news and crime drama junkie as well. At the age of 91, she picked up reading as a new hobby, and as you might expect, authors like James Patterson and John Grisham were her favorites.
Eleanore was preceded in death by her husband Alfred and son Gary and numerous family members whom she outlived. Surviving are her daughters, Laraine (Alan) Lehenbauer and Pam McMahan (Rob) Stanton, her daughter-in-law Barb Kosco, her grandson John McMahan IV, and her 2 granddaughters Breanna (Alex) Mace and Jocelyn Kosco. She was looking forward to being a great-grandmother and meeting her two great-grandsons. She was also blessed to have a caring neighbor in Larry Schroll who would do anything for her.
Special thanks goes to the staff and her friends at Maplewood at Chardon who were so kind and treated her like family. They were especially amazing and loving the final couple weeks of her life. The family would also like to thank Hospice Of The Western Reserve.
Visitation will be from 10 – 11 a.m. on Friday, April 28 at St. Bridget of Kildare in Parma, Ohio with Mass to follow at 11am. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Eleanore's name can be made to the Maplewood Senior Living Holiday Fund (% Vivian McNenny) (please send your contribution in November), plant a rose bush or flowers in her honor, or do something kind for an elderly person you know.