Eleanor Miriam (Furbush) Chase, 89, of Portsmouth, R.I., died Nov. 27 at St. Elizabeth’s Manor, Bristol, R.I.
Born in Waterville on Oct. 1, 1920, she was the daughter of the late George Elton and Carrie Belle (Moody) Furbush.
Mrs. Chase was a graduate of Colby College in Waterville, and then entered the U.S. Navy as a WAVE. She attended Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School in Boston.
After meeting her husband in Newport, they married on June 5, 1948 and raised their three children. She worked as a secretary at the former Coggeshall School in Portsmouth and retired in 1975.
Mrs. Chase was an active member of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. She was involved in the Women’s Club as well as other church organizations. Eleanor also volunteered for Meals on Wheels and enjoyed her membership in the Portsmouth Garden Club. She enjoyed gardening, quilting, knitting, baking cookies, and spending time with family and friends.
Mrs. Chase loved spending summers in Nobleboro, boating, swimming, and visiting with friends and relatives at the family camp on Damariscotta Lake.
She was a wonderful mother and friend to all who knew her. She was always ready to lend a hand to help out whenever anyone needed anything. always knowing the right thing to do. Known as a most loving grandmother, she always had time to read one more story or play one more game with her grandchildren.
She was predeceased by her husband of 53 years Forster Elwood Chase.
She is survived by sons, George Chase of North Kingstown, R.I., and Thomas Chase of Sterling, Mass.; daughter, Virginia Phinney of Strafford, N.H.; and grandchildren, Anna Chase, Emily Chase, Kristen Heath, and Jason Phinney.
Memorial service 11 a.m., Sat., Dec. 5 in St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 324 East Main Rd., Portsmouth, R.I., with burial in St. Mary’s Churchyard following.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 324 East Main Rd., Portsmouth, RI 02871; the Diabetes Foundation of Rhode Island, 1117 Douglas Ave., Unit 2, North Providence, RI 02904; or to the American Heart Association, 222 Richmond St., Suite 108, Providence, RI 02903.
Information and directions available at www.memorialfuneralhome.com.
