Ellen J. (Mcmullon) Caola

WEST BOYLSTON – Ellen J. (McMullon) Caola, 88, of West Boylston, passed away peacefully on Monday, January 16, 2017, under the loving care of her family and the staff at Holden Rehabilitation & Skilled Nursing Center. Born and raised in Worcester, Ellen was the daughter of the late Bernard F. and Ellen J. (Duncan) McMullon and lived in West Boylston for 61 years. She graduated from Commerce High School then worked at Worcester Mutual Insurance Company where she met Sophie Caola; little did she know that she would become her sister-in-law. Ellen and Lewis were married on July 29, 1950 at Our Lady of the Rosary Church and were happily married for 60 years until Lew’s death in 2010. Ellen and Lewis settled in West Boylston where they raised their four children. She worked for 17 years as the parish secretary at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church. After her retirement, Ellen was a welcoming face at the Miles Funeral Home where she served families with compassion and dignity as an evening associate and greeter. She had a virtuous gift of making people feel good about themselves. She was gracious and empathetic and could light up a room with her quick wit. Her life was centered on family and faith. She remained a devoted member of Our Lady of Good Counsel and its Women’s Club.  Summertime brought memories of family poolside get-togethers, especially time spent at their vacation home in Wells, Maine. In their retirement years, Ellen and Lew spent winters in Florida and traveled in the United States and Europe. Ellen was proud of her family and leaves a legacy of love and devotion. Ellen will be affectionately remembered and missed by her four children, MaryAnn McFarland and her husband, Wayne, of Sterling; Robert L. Caola and his wife, Lisa, of Plymouth; Cathleen E. O’Brien and her husband, Jack, of Holden; and Christine C. Eisner and her husband, John, of Worcester; eight grandchildren, Kimberley, Laurie, Bryan, Kerry, Katie, Sean, Amy, and RJ; four great- grandchildren, Luke, Cameron, Brennan, and Sean; her lifelong friend and sister-in-law, Sophie Sweeney, who resided across the hall from her at the nursing home; her brother-in-law, John Sulkoski; and many nephews and nieces. Besides her husband Lewis, Ellen is predeceased by a brother, David McMullon, and two sisters, Mary Cobb and Gertrude Cimato. Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Ellen’s family from 5 to 7 P.M. on Thursday, January 19, at the Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main St., Holden, and again Friday morning at 8:45 A.M. in the funeral home, followed by a procession to the Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, 111 Worcester St., West Boylston where a funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 A.M. Ellen will be laid to rest next to her beloved husband at Mt. Vernon Cemetery in West Boylston. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, 111 Worcester St., West Boylston, MA 01583. To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit our "Guest Book" here on our page.