Lenore, my mother, was the youngest of the 9 children of Edward and Bridget McHale Gilroy. She was born March 9, 1926 and died at the age of 69 on September 16,1995. The Gilroy siblings had very close relationships. They all referred to their mother Bridget McHale Gilroy as "Mother", never anything less formal. Unfortunately their father, Edward, died when Lenore was only 6. He had been ill for quite some time so her memory of him was as an invalid in the "front room" upstairs.
All 9 children were born at the family home on Grove Street in Avoca, Luzerne County, PA and the grandchildren who were born before Maroy (Bridget) died in 1954 knew that house as the focal point of the family. Some of us lived there at one time or another when we were very young.
Lenore was very intelligent as well as being beautiful (the Gilroy girls were all very pretty). She attended St. Mary Elementary School on Spring Street in Avoca. She was valedictorian of her graduating class of 1943 from Avoca High School. Seemingly out of character (for her) she was also a cheerleader at Avoca High School.
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