• Courtesy Photo
• Eileen Schilling

Eileen and her beloved husband, Charlie Proutt, proudly nurtured and raised three children: Henri, Catherine and Elizabeth. While a college student majoring in early childhood education, Eileen met longtime friends Naomi, Joe and Jessica. Through her education and work with Jessica, she recognized each of her own children as the individual they were born as, and each ultimately flourished as the unique adult they are today.

Each spring for Eileen began with planting, gardening, and running hers and Charlie’s nursery. Around Memorial Day, she planted public gardens of annual flowers for the public to enjoy. Through Eileen's artistic eye for gardening, visitors discovered her nursery as a truly magical place.

“In the evenings, the nursery is quiet and reverts to being my home. I wander around accompanied by Freddie, the resident cat, and enjoy the beauty I have created.”

As winter arrived, Eileen laced up her skates, clipped into cross-country skis and challenged her adventure clubber friends to turn on to the darkest of blue squares. Between adventures, Eileen volunteered with the Barnes School kindergarten classes and continued volunteering in the fall, coaching soccer to first and second graders at Charlotte Central School.

For 23 years, Eileen’s winter ended in a trip filled with exotic marine fish and creatures, long hikes through jungles to snorkel at faraway beaches, and many foreign tropical adventures with her friend Susan H. Her forever love of the ocean began with childhood at the Jersey Shore.

In the summer of 2018, Eileen hosted Catherine’s wedding to Dan in her garden and Elizabeth’s wedding to Gui in her nursery. Orchestrating these events gave joy to her and all of her friends and family involved.

Her husband, Charlie; son Henri and partner Suzanne; daughter Elizabeth and husband Guilherme; and daughter Catherine, husband Dan and granddaughter Penelope Rose will forever love Eileen. Lifelong friend Christine, soul mate Annie, Susan H., Susan K., Naomi and countless others have been graced with her friendship and love. Special to Eileen were her huge Schilling family; dear cousins Elizabeth and Roseann; and her siblings: Margy, Peter, Joe, Andrew, Greg and her beloved predeceased sister Catherine.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that everyone plant flowers of their own in front yards this spring.