Malek, Eileen Mary (Head)

 On Holy Saturday morning, April 8, 2023, surrounded by her loving and attentive family, Eileen went home to heaven to be with Jesus and to take her seat at the table of the communion of Saints.  Eileen was 86 years old.  She was born on September 19, 1936, in South Buffalo, NY, a daughter of the late Edward and Frances (Supple) Head.  She married Richard “Dick” Malek on October 5, 1957, at St. Teresa’s Church in South Buffalo.  The couple would spend a lifetime of love for the family they raised at the home they made in West Seneca, NY.  Eileen was a devoted mother, acting as a Cub Scout Den Mother for her sons when they were young, and also a Blue Bird Camp Fire Girl assistant leader for her daughter’s troop.  She worked as a Certified Nurses Aid for many years.  Eileen loved making the holidays special for her children and she made sure that there were always toys and gifts for each of them under the Christmas tree.  She also made sure that their birthdays were celebrated and unique for each of them.  Eileen loved making dolls, collecting Hummel’s and Waterford Crystal, and over the years, she loved the family pet dogs, Sparky, Ginger, Mandy, and Buddy.  Eileen was proud of her Irish heritage and customs, and she taught them to her children through the way she raised them.  Eileen made sure that even though “boys will be boys and girls will be girls”, they always had a fair shake with their father when occasionally straying from expectations and the rules of conduct. After retirement, Eileen and Dick enjoyed experiencing world-wide traveling.  The couple celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary Mass at St. John Vianney Roman Catholic Church, where they had been communicants, before his passing on December 27, 2017.  Eileen will be remembered as a woman of tremendous faith.  She was a shining example to her family and all who knew her for her devotion to Mary, the blessed mother, and to Jesus Christ.  May she now rest in peace.  Her passing will be mourned by many, especially by the legacy she leaves and adored with all her heart: her children, Cynthia (Glen) Weeks, Richard (Bernice), Timothy (Dawn), and Daniel (Anne) Malek; her grandchildren, Nicole, Tiffany, William, Kaitlin, Russell, Brian, Troy, Ian, Meagan Sarah and Noah; five great-grandchildren, Gavin, Lucas, Brooke, Mackenzie, and Mateo; her siblings, the late Marie (Charles) Daniels, Edward, William, Bernadine and Paul Head, Frances (late Ted) Pantera, and Dorothy (late Raymond) Gates. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, extended family members and friends. Calling hours will be held on Tuesday, April 11^th from 4-8 pm, at the Thomas H. McCarthy Funeral Home, 1975 Seneca Street, Buffalo, NY. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Wednesday morning at 10:00 am, assembling directly at St. Bernadette Church, Orchard Park. She will be laid to rest beside her beloved husband in the Holy Cross Mausoleum, in Lackawanna. The Malek family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to all the Doctors, Nurses, Oncologists, Ophthalmologists, Dentists, and Cardiologists and the staff at Greenfields for the loving and attentive care given to Eileen, and for helping her to retain a quality of life with the physical challenges she faces through her 86 years. Equally important to Eileen was her spiritual wellbeing which was received from Fr. James Wall during COVID, to her newest parish family at St. Bernadette’s, and to Fr. Joseph Wolf for his spiritual guidance given to Eileen and her family through her final days on Hospice.  For online condolences or to share a memory of Eileen please visit www.mccarthyfuneralhome.com