Eileen Bodnar Obituary

Eileen Lucile "Babu" Bodnar

March 14, 1924 - October 18, 2024

ANTIOCH - Eileen Lucile "Babu" Bodnar passed away peacefully on October 18, 2024, in Antioch, California. She was 100 years old.

Born in a farmhouse in Trail County, North Dakota in 1924, Eileen went to a one room school with only two other students. During the winter months, her father would take her to school on a "sled" that was a car body on runners, pulled by a horse.

The family moved to International Falls, Minnesota in 1936, and she was in the first graduating class at the new Backus Junior High. Prior to COVID, she attended all of the class reunions and particularly enjoyed the "All Class" reunions.

Eileen worked at the local Ace Hardware during the war, when many of the jobs that had historically been men-only were now being filled by women. She received a lot of encouragement and business education from her boss. This is where she learned that women could do the same jobs as men.

She married Thor "Orest" Bodnar in 1942 and they moved to Napa California in 1948, where she lived until 2020, when she moved into Assisted Living in Antioch, California. She always considered Napa to be the perfect place to live.

Eileen began her career with the telephone company in 1952, at a time when women could not hold management positions. She believed this is what set her on the course of "Women Helping Women" that would guide her professional and personal choices.

Eileen became the first woman Customer Operations Manager in the Northern California area and by the time she retired, she had a team of 52 employees and was responsible for a service area with150,000 customers.

This was not the first, or only, time Eileen trailblazed for women. She was the first woman president of the Napa Chamber of Commerce, President of Soroptimist International of Napa, Federated Women's Club of America and Napa Emblem Club, just to name a few.

Her community service did not stop there. She served on the Grand Jury in 1984-1985, taught ESL in St. Helena as well as classes on Women In Business at Napa College. She volunteered on political campaigns, was a member of Eastern Star, and volunteered at Community Projects for almost 50 years.

In retirement, Eileen traveled the world, visiting more than 70 countries with her best friends. They became known as the "Golden Girls" everywhere they went.

Eileen is pre-deceased by her parents, Roy and Lillian Ness; husband Orest Bodnar; sister Shirley Lyons; brother Bob Ness and daughter Ria Donald. She is survived by her son Bronz Bodnar; three grandchildren Julianne Hernandez, Melissa Donald and Anthony Lobianco; two great grandchildren, Jennifer Pavao and Jeffery Amaral and one great-great grandson.

Services will be held at St. Mary's Episcopal Church at 1917 3rd Street in Napa on November 16, 2024 at 1 PM.