Eleanor Carmella Talbot (ne Clapcich)

Eleanor (El) Talbot peacefully passed away on Monday February 3, 2025 at the Little Flower Manor nursing home, Darby, Pennsylvania where she had been living since 2020. Born in Chester, Pennsylvania on September 9, 1927 Eleanor was the sixth of seven children of Anthony and Maria Clapcich. She was raised in a large, loving family where English, Italian and Croatian were all spoken at home.

Eleanor attended Franklin Elementary School and graduated from Chester High School in 1945 where she was Class Secretary, captain of the cheerleading squad, and member of the Student Council. She loved swimming and dancing, but her eyes were on her hero James (Jim ) Talbot, who lettered in baseball and football and served as President of the Chester High Student Council, and who called Eleanor his "heroine". They were married after the war in 1947 and had three children, James, Ronald, and Kevin.

Eleanor worked briefly at Sun Oil Company in Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania eventually preferring to be a stay-at-home mom raising her three boys. She was an amazing cook, having grown up in a family that prepared Italian, Croatian and American dishes from scratch. When El and her sisters got together to make pasta, the rest of the family feasted on gnocchi, ravioli, fuzi, spaghetti - all made with delicious sauces and meats or seafood. She made bobka, Austrian strudel, and many delicious kinds of pies and cakes, including her famous "apple cake".

Eleanor was very popular and had many friends, who shared her love for family, food and travel. Folks would come over to her house after dinner during the week just to have coffee and dessert. When her boys finally were out of the house, she and her husband travelled extensively, visiting Europe, Haiti, Puerto Rico, and many parts of the U.S. During this period, she also worked as a travel agent at her niece's agency. Eleanor was a devoted grandmother who doted over her grand-children and great-grandchildren, typically dropping whatever she was doing to help out with babysitting or preparing food if someone was sick. There was nothing like a bowl of pasta e fagioli to cure a sick kid.

Being from a large family there were nonstop birthdays, weddings, baptisms, and funerals to attend and Eleanor was meticulous about writing a card or sending a note with her sincerest thoughts to each and every person involved. The holidays were always special to her since it was her opportunity to decorate her home for that special season, invite friends or family over, share a meal, and have fun telling jokes or playing games. If one were lucky they could coax Eleanor out onto the floor to show off her tap dancing, or sing any of the many songs she knew the lyrics to in English or Italian.

Eleanor is survived by her husband of 78 years, Jim, her three sons, James and his wife Nancy, their three daughters, Megan, Sara and Kathleen; Ronald and his wife Betty Jane, and their two daughters, Kelly and Kristen and Kevin and his wife Karen, and their two daughters, Alexa and Taylor; as well as 11 great grandchildren: Trey, Jace, Ben, Eleanor, Wynne, Noah, Isabel, Mackenzie, Reagan, Richland and Miya, many spouses, nieces, nephews and friends.

The viewing is from 9:45 to 10:45 AM followed by the mass at 11:00 AM will be held at St.Joseph's Catholic Church, Aston, Pennsylvania, on Friday, February 21st followed by interment at St. Thomas The Apostle cemetery, Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. Family and friends are welcome.