Eileen Ort

– Eileen Kearney Ort passed away on Tuesday, April 28, 2015, at Rosetta Assisted Living in Missoula, of complications from frontotemporal dementia. She was 84.

Eileen's fiery, feisty personality sparkled through her blue eyes, behind which she held the strength and resilience to survive and thrive through the challenges life threw at her. She was a 34-year survivor of breast cancer and weathered multiple hip and shoulder replacement surgeries without drawing attention to the pain she endured. Her indomitable spirit attracted people to her wherever she went, from the local grocery store to a pub in Ireland. Neighbors say she was the first to welcome them to their new homes, and she remained loyal to friends both old and new. She leaves those who knew her with memories of good fun, strong opinions and gracious entertaining.

She was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1930, the first of four children of Irish immigrants, Julia (O'Brien) and Michael Bernard Kearney. She grew up in Swampscott, Massachusetts, attended St. John's Parochial School, and graduated from Swampscott High School in 1948. As kids, she and her siblings enjoyed the nearby beaches, the beginning of her life-long love for the ocean. Her father died when she was 13, after which she sacrificed university ambitions to take on greater responsibility helping her mother care for the family during and after World War II.

While working for GE in Lynn after high school, she met a young man with an inescapable sense of humor, Harold Ort. Despite warnings from her coworkers that he was a "wolf," she accepted a date with him on Valentine's Day, 1950, and he arrived at her door bearing a bouquet of African violets. He won her heart, and the hearts of her family, and they were married in 1955. He gave her African violets on Valentine's Day ever after.

After a rainy wedding, which their photographer somehow missed, they drove, via Banff and Jasper, Canada, to California, where a job was waiting for Hal. This was the first of many travel adventures they shared. They lived in Santa Monica, Palos Verdes, and then Thousand Oaks, California, while Eileen worked as a well-respected Certified Shorthand Reporter. She strove to ensure her kids could achieve the college education she missed after her father died.

Eileen and Hal challenged and supported each other in equal measure throughout their marriage, but above all, they were good friends. Daily life revolved around raising their five children together, tennis, swimming, camping at the beach, gardening (she loved a quiet afternoon cup of tea with a book among her flowers), walking with the dogs and enjoying close friends.

In 1989, they retired to Missoula, which they had grown to love while visiting their daughters who had settled there. They lived for 24 years in their beloved home overlooking the Bitterroot River.

Eileen had a voracious curiosity for culture and the natural world. She and Hal took educational cruises to Alaska and Antarctica, bicycled the Danube River in Germany and Austria, and toured Ireland and England many times, to name just a few of their travels. At home, she supported local arts and environmental organizations, public radio and television, and all things Irish. She enrolled in MOLLI courses at the University of Montana and enjoyed the monthly "art walks" in downtown Missoula. Eileen and Hal rarely missed a concert of the Missoula Symphony or String Orchestra of the Rockies. She was an active member of the Art Associates of Missoula and a docent with the Fifth Grade Art Experience.

In 2013, she was proud and thrilled to be honored as Missoula Irishwoman of the Year, commemorating her significant contributions to the Irish-American community, and she and Hal had a blast riding on the float in the St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Eileen is survived by Harold "Hal" Ort, her husband of almost 60 years; their five children and their spouses, Hilary Garrett (Stu) of Bend, Oregon, Kathleen Ort (John Duffield) of Missoula, Michael Ort (Nancy Riggs) of Flagstaff, Arizona, Stacy Sullivan (Chris) of Dixon and Brian Ort (Tami Schuyler) of San Francisco, California; and her three siblings, Sheila Kearney of Swampscott, Edward Kearney (Annette) of Portland, Maine, and Kathleen Malaney (Bob) of Bar Harbor, Maine. In addition, she loved her four grandchildren, Marisa Riggs-Ort, Oscar and Aidan Duffield and Molly Kate Sullivan.

Her family extends deep appreciation to the caregivers at Rosetta Assisted Living and Hospice of Missoula, and Dr. Judith Visscher and her nurse Holly for their compassionate, respectful, and loving care of Eileen and their tremendous support for her family. A memorial will be held later this year. In lieu of flowers, gifts in tribute may be made to one of the many organizations that Eileen supported, including The String Orchestra of the Rockies, Friends of Irish Studies in the West, and Clark Fork Coalition.
Read Eileen Ort's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.