Obituaries

Eleanor Waldheim

Former Southold resident Eleanor Waldheim of Boca Raton, Fla., died Nov. 27, 2013. She was 89 years old.

She was born to an Irish family named Sheehan and raised on New York’s Upper East Side. Eleanor had five sisters and one brother. Surviving are her two sisters, Betty and Joan Sheehan, as well as her nieces and nephews: Tom Weigel, Mary Susan Shaffer, George Locke, Monica Antonie, Kevin Doherty, Kathy Mazzo and Diane Coleman and their respective families. She was predeceased by siblings Claire Locke, Helen Doherty, Theresa Weigel and Dennis Sheehan.

Eleanor worked for the president of Colt Industries on Park Avenue in New York City for many years and was married to Franklin Waldheim, a lawyer for the Walt Disney Company. They had an apartment in New York City and, later, homes in Southold and Boca Raton.

Eleanor was an avid reader and always wanted to be an actress. She had Betty Davis eyes. She was a stage mother for her niece Mary Susan Locke, who was on Broadway for three years in the original “Sound of Music” with Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel.

Eleanor loved animals and usually had a terrier or a Maltese companion. Her family has fond memories of her generous nature and love of life. She had an Auntie Mame quality to her — always looking for an adventure and always wearing green on March 17, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and arranging for family parties at that time.

The family received friends Dec. 3 at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold, where prayer services were held. Interment followed at St. Patrick R.C. Cemetery, also in Southold.

This is a paid notice.