Our beloved mother Eileen T.  Mc Shane -Byheny, daughter of Irish immigrants Hugh & Mary Murphy was 1 of 4 children: Hugh, Maureen, & Edward. She was married to our father Patrick J. McShane from Ireland for 25 years before his sudden passing in 1980. They built a family with 6 children & sadly suffered the loss of their son Kevin at 6 months. They eventually moved their family from the Bronx to the suburbs of Long Island.

Eileen loved being a wife, mom & a homemaker most of all. She also had part time jobs through life starting as a school bus driver, then an EEG tech for a neurologist, ending with several years as a clerk in the x-ray department of a local hospital. 

Her children grew to bless her with 10 grandchildren & 13 great grandchildren to love. Family was everything to her and holding the next new baby brought such joy. 

Mom’s door was always open… ready to feed you, she welcomed talks over tea with sweet treats.

Always a great listener & advisor, she was a faithful woman who instilled a strong faith in each of us. She reminded all who had problems to pray on it because God would take care of you. This she witnessed through her own faithful mother & grandmother through their trials.

A creative passion that brought her peace was tending to her garden and the nearby university chapel garden as well as designing floral arrangements in her home. 

If you were troubled physically or spiritually, she would fill you with nourishment and caring words. She loved music, dancing, singing, never realizing just how soothing & angelic her sweet voice sounded.  Her physical beauty matched her inner beauty.

Eileen married her 2nd husband, a widower, Robert Byheny known as “Bob.”  They met by chance at a church function. We witnessed 2 people loving each other with a common devotion towards God in the center of their marriage. They enjoyed simple pleasures which included dancing, meals, drives, visiting, talking or just being together. Through Bob, mom was happy to inherit 7 grandchildren & 7 great-grandchildren creating a combined legacy of 17 grandchildren & 20 great-grandchildren.  Family gatherings meant so much because another new baby could be held, cuddled, & loved.

Mom aged gracefully to age 93 & kept her smile, laugh & sparkling blue eyes as she endured various ailments. 

Maria, her part-time caretaker of 10 yrs. enlightened her with all of God’s beauty in nature as they walked through the neighborhood which made her so happy.  They also had many spiritual conversations.

 As her children have aged, each has cherished these moments in time with mom.

All extended family had a special place in her heart & she would remember them in prayer.

Our matriarch/ mother will be forever missed by us all.  Our faith remains solid & will grow stronger because of her.  Our younger generations will grow in this light.  We have been blessed. 

We will love you eternally mom. 🙏🏻🌹💗