Eileen O’Brien Wenstrup, 88, a longtime Hinsdale resident, passed away peacefully at home Sept. 2, 2022, surrounded by family.
She was born in 1934 in Cincinnati, Ohio, to late Patrick and Veronica O’Brien. She attended Ursuline Academy followed by Edgecliff College, graduating in 1956 with a degree in mathematics, summa cum laude.
Shortly after graduation, she married her eighth-grade sweetheart, H. Daniel Wenstrup, and one of the world’s most epic love stories began. Their first stop was Ft. Bliss, Texas, for Dan’s service in the Army followed by a transfer to a Nike Site in Southfield, Mich.. There they started their great masterpiece, their family. Dan’s career brought them home to Cincinnati, back to the suburbs of Detroit and then finally to Hinsdale.
Eileen led with dignity, generosity and love. Her elegant style — whether at a grandchild’s sporting event, a golf outing, a black-tie dinner or simply breakfast at home — was a hallmark, fortified by her love of shopping. But what lay just under the surface of her beautiful, polished exterior was her intelligence and her competitive streak.
Eileen was known as a formidable Bridge opponent, a Rummikub whiz and a Scrabble master. She enjoyed the game of golf but probably relished the post-golf social festivities, including planning and organizing them, most of all. To her family she was known as wife, mom, Mimi. Those are the only titles she ever sought, and she was one of the greatest of all time.
Eileen was preceded in death by her sister, Patricia Cunningham.
She is survived by her husband, Danny; her six children, Gary (Abby), Julie (Dan) Brady, Patrick (Kathleen), Kevin (Peggy), Katy (Matt) Jungels and Gregory (Megan); her grandchildren, Samuel, Alexander, Daniel, Courtney (Brad) Spencer, Timothy (Tori) Brady, Sean (Kristen) Brady, Colleen (Luke) Small, Claire (Jeff) Hunt, Maggie, Jack, Max, Lucille, Patrick and Lily; her great-grandchildren, Hugh, Kate, Rory, Connor, Nolan and Everett, with another on the way; and her sister, Maureen Denges.
A funeral mass will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at St. Isaac Jogues Parish, 412 S. Clay St., Hinsdale. The mass will be live streamed at https://www.sij.net.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Ursuline Academy, 5535 Pfeiffer Road, Cincinnati, OH, 45242.
Brian Powell Funeral Directors of Hinsdale handled the arrangements.
