Shrewsbury – Eleanor Marie (McMahon) Hannah-Harris, 100, longtime Shrewsbury resident, passed away peacefully on Monday, June 6, 2022 in the comfort of her son’s home in Ashland.
She leaves her loving children, J. Mark Hannah and his wife Kimberly, of Peachtree City, GA, Charles T. Hannah, of Worcester, Paul F. Hannah and his wife Carol, of Ashland, with whom she lived in her final days, and Marie A. Hannah, of Connecticut; her grandchildren, Kyle Hannah and his wife Allison of Virginia, Brett Hannah of California, Ryan Hannah and his wife Sarah of Georgia, Marybeth Hannah of North Andover, Shawn Hannah of New York, Melissa Fuentes, of Whitinsville, Benito Fuentes of Boston, and Nicholas Fuentes and his Fiancé Elizabeth of Connecticut; four great-grandchildren, Rory, Maren, Nathan, and Kamila, and several nieces and nephews. Eleanor was also predeceased by her siblings, Francis, Stanley, and George McMahon; and their parents, Charles T. McMahon and Eva M. (Martel) McMahon.
Eleanor was born in Worcester, raised, and educated in Shrewsbury; she is a 1943 graduate from Memorial Hospital with an RN in Nursing.
After graduating from Memorial, she immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps in 1944, and served overseas during World War II. Eleanor served her country proudly until her honorable discharge in 1946, as a First Lieutenant. She then went to Dayton, Ohio to begin working in the Veteran’s Hospital with three of her friends and fellow nurses. From 1947 to 1948, Eleanor worked at New York Hospital.
She married her first husband, the late John Hannah, in 1949 and they lived in Waterville, Maine while he attended Colby College and Eleanor nursed at Sister’s Hospital. After John’s graduation they moved from Maine to Worcester, and then to Shrewsbury where they started their family.
Eleanor married her second husband, the late Percy Harris, in 1976, and he passed just two years later.
Eleanor had a long, wonderful career in nursing, and retired at 65 from Westborough State Hospital.
In her free time, she enjoyed painting, especially landscapes and animals (Shrewsbury Library had done a display of her artwork), knitting, crafting, reading, traveling and listening to the Boston Red Sox. Eleanor loved playing bridge and had weekly bridge games, along with playing at the senior center and on-line. Eleanor also enjoyed family time at her lake house in Maine.
Eleanor was an avid animal lover and cherished her cat, Smokey who was by her side to the end.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: Counsel on Aging – Shrewsbury, in memoriam of Eleanor Hannah-Harris, 98 Maple Ave, Shrewsbury, MA 01545 or Friends of the Shrewsbury Public Library Inc, in memoriam of Eleanor Hannah-Harris, 609 Main Street, Shrewsbury, MA 01545.
Per Eleanor’s request, there will be no services, only a private celebration of life event for her family.
The Britton-Shrewsbury Funeral Home is honored to be assisting with arrangements.
