Elinor Pollio, 90, of Woodbury, NY, passed away on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, surrounded by her loving family. Elinor was born in Manhattan, NY on June 6, 1933 to Peter and Elizabeth (Betty) (DeMirra) Gilbert. She met her beloved husband of 62 years, Anthony (Andy) in 1950 and they were married in 1952. Elinor and Andy owned and operated Andy’s Trucking and lived in Brooklyn, Elmont and East Quogue. In the 1970s, she was first-mate in a charter fishing boat business that she and Andy operated out of Point Lookout Marina. After retirement, Elinor and Andy realized their dream of a house on the water in East Quogue. After Andy’s death in 2015, Elinor relocated to Woodbury, where she was active in church and community groups, playing Bingo, partaking in the “Lunch Bunch” and taking bus trips to various events.

Elinor grew up in Brooklyn — a stone’s throw from Ebbets Field — and was an avid Brooklyn Dodgers fan. After ‘dem bums moved to the West Coast, she was a woman without a team until 1962, when National League baseball returned to NYC with the founding of the New York Mets. Elinor had season tickets to Shea Stadium, including during the glorious mid-80s, when she reveled in the 1986 World Series Championship. A die-hard fan until the end, Elinor celebrated her 80th and 85th birthdays at CitiField with the entire family and, just this summer, her 90th birthday with a Mets-themed backyard bash. Elinor pioneered the “expedited” baseball game in her own home, recording and fast-forwarding through the “slow parts” and like a true baseball fan, she knew the best hot dog was out of the dirty water not off the grill. Elinor was an avid fisherwoman and often won the biggest and most catch awards on any given outing. She was an outstanding cook, renowned for her mussels in white wine and spaghetti with clams. She always had a crumb cake in the freezer. She was a voracious reader, did the crossword daily, and was the number one fan to all of her daughters’, grandchildrens’ and great-grandchildens’ endeavors. She welcomed everyone into her home and made all who crossed her path feel special.

In addition to raising her family and running two businesses, Elinor was very active in her community. She was an advocate for safe boating, serving as the “first-lady” of Sewanhaka Squadron and District 3 of the United States Power Squadron, facilitating hundreds of networking events and supporting the Power Squadron’s education initiatives. She holds a U.S. Coast Guard Captain’s License and was instrumental in the creation of the national curriculum for safe boating. Elinor and Andy facilitated safe boating instruction throughout Long Island, teaching thousands of new boaters. She also served on the homeowners association boards of Shinnecock Shores (East Quogue) and Woodbury Cove (Woodbury).

Family was at the center of a life well-lived for Elinor. She is survived by her six daughters and sons-in-law, Annmarie and Brian Lonegan of Cold Spring Harbor, Linda and Neal Moriarty of The Villages, FL, Barbara and Timothy Mulvey of Wantagh, Diane and Rich Gleave of North Massapequa, Drs. Patricia Pollio and Kirk Roberts of Tuxedo, NY and Marie Pollio and Scott Halstead of Farmington, CT; her 29 grandchildren, Melissa Peros, Christopher Relf and Laura Cayan, Caitlin Lonegan and Spencer Lewis, Matthew and Carly Mulvey, Michael Lonegan and Morgan McLean, Steven Lonegan and Kelsey Blodget, Peter Mulvey and Bree Taylor, Kevin Relf and Brianna Sucik, Megan Mulvey and Bryan Manis, Christine Gleave and Hasan Arslan, Daniel Gleave and Ashley Mebert, Jeremy Roberts and Kat Savina, Zachary Halstead, Ethan Halstead, Neal Moriarty, Jen and Kevin Loeven and Stacey Moriarty; and her 18 great-grandchildren, Daniella and Luka Peros, Addy and Colin Relf, Sylvie and Sam Mulvey, Pierce and Isla Relf, Walden and Cecelia Lonegan, Ayla Arslan, Jonah Manis, CJ, Braiden and Liam Moriarty and Sean, Jackson and Mackenna Loeven. Elinor joins her angel granddaughter, Laura Roberts, in heaven.

Elinor is also survived by her best friend and twin sister, Jeanne and her husband, James Fox of Titusville, FL, her brother-in-law Benedict Pollio of Garden City and her sister-in-law Lorraine Knapp of Stewart, FL. She is pre-deceased by her husband, Andy, her granddaughter, Laura, her parents, Pete and Betty, her in-laws, Anthony and Millie Pollio, her sister and brother-in-law, Kay and Jerry Franks, her sister-in-law, Nancy Pollio, and her brother-in-law, John Knapp. A funeral mass will be held on Monday, October 9 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Rafael’s R.C. Church, East Meadow, NY. Elinor will be laid to rest with Andy in Calverton National Cemetery. Donations in Elinor’s memory may be made to the Jawonio Foundation, 260 Little Tor Road, New City, NY 10956, www.jawonio.org.

Kindly consider making a donation in Elinor's name to The Jawonio Foundation: www.jawonio.org Address: 260 N. Little Tor Road, New City, NY, 10956 Phone #: (845)708-2000