Eileen Joan Reosti

Eileen Reosti, loving wife of Horace Reosti and mother of nine passed away at her home in Alexandria, Va. December 4, 2014. Eileen was born Nov. 26, 1929 in Detroit to Virgil and Helen DeClaire. The stock market had crashed less than a month before her arrival, so Eileen grew up during the Great Depression. Even so, the memories she recounted of her childhood were always happy ones. She was surrounded by her parents and four siblings, two brothers and two sisters, not to mention a large extended family. She was Virgil and Helen's second child. Her older brother Jerry died in 2012. Her youngest sister, Doris, died in 2007. After graduating Detroit's St. Anthony High School in 1947, Eileen went to work for Michigan Bell, remaining until a few months after her marriage, which took place Nov. 12, 1955. Horace and Eileen's first son, John Thomas Reosti, died in 1958 but after that tragedy, the couple were blessed with eight more children – five sons and three daughters – born in Detroit, California and Alexandria. Proud lifelong Detroiters, Eileen and Horace moved their family to Riverside California in 1962, then to Alexandria in May 1964. They bought a three-level home on Bluedale Street in Stratford Landing. The original owner, Frank Cento, had lived there a year. Eileen would occupy the home half a century, laying down deep roots in a community she came to love and care about deeply. Indeed, it can honestly be said that family, church and community were the lodestars of her life. Horace and Eileen were among the original members of Stratford Pool, as well as Good Shepherd Catholic Church, where Eileen attended Mass regularly until shortly before her death. Between 1976 and 1985, six Reosti children would graduate Fort Hunt High School. The two youngest graduated West Potomac High School in 1986 and 1987. Eileen did not work outside the home after her marriage, but she was a devoted wife and mother to her eight surviving children. She was also an active volunteer for numerous charities. Over the course of her life she drove for Meals on Wheels, provided food and meals for the United Community Ministries Food Bank and for Christ House in Alexandria, So Others Might Eat in Washington, D.C. and the Eleanor Kennedy Shelter in Fort Belvoir. She also walked in a number of Walk-for-Life events and helped out at Good Shepherd's annual International Festival. That is by no means an exhaustive list. Eileen is survived by her brother Donald DeClaire in San Diego, CA. and sister Janet Hollister in Hart, MI, as well as eight children, Mimi Carvalho (husband Ricardo) in Waverly Tennessee, Nancy Reosti Lorusso in Ashburn VA, Joe Reosti in Pensacola FL, Tony Reosti (wife Jenny) in Kaiserslautern Germany, as well as Leah Tenorio (husband Ricardo), and Jim, Paul and John Reosti, all of Alexandria. Eileen is survived also by nineteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, the youngest of whom, Samuel Joseph Kennealy, was baptized at Good Shepherd Church Dec. 6. Family will receive friends at Jefferson Funeral Chapel Tuesday, December 9, from 5 to 9 pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 8710 Mt Vernon Hwy, Alexandria, VA on Wednesday, December 10, at 10:30am. Interment at Mt Comfort Cemetery. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to United Community Ministries, 7511 Fordson Rd, Alexandria, VA 22306.

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Eileen Joan Reosti

November 26, 1929 - December 4, 2014