Eileen Mary Altieri

Eileen Mary Altieri, 85, of Key Largo, Fla., and Fairfield, the wife of John Lambert Altieri, died July 12 in Fairfield.

Raised on Staten Island, N.Y., she was the daughter of Peter and Anna Mulcahy Rudden. She attended St. Joseph Hill Academy on Staten Island, graduating in 1943. She was married in 1945 and worked as a secretary for the Coast Guard Department of Civilian Personnel in post-war Washington. In 1954, she and her husband moved to South Norwalk, where he established a professional engineering practice. She helped to build the firm, now known as Altieri Sebor Wieber, LLC.

After breast cancer surgery in 1967, she chose tennis to rehabilitate and became a competitive player. She also was active in the Bellarmine Club of Fairfield Prep and had been president of the Friends of Norwalk Community College. She later earned a degree in interior design at Sacred Heart University. She and her husband were also members of the Patterson Club and the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo. Before moving to Fairfield, her family lived in Weston for 30 years.

Survivors, in addition to her husband of 65 years, include sons John and his wife Maudie Altieri, and Peter and his wife Sandra Altieri of Fairfield; grandchildren, Christopher Rudden Altieri, his wife Ester and their children Joseph and Rachel of Rome, Italy; Sheila Altieri and her children Mikaylah Lee Grant and Calyb Reeves of Fairfield; Kieran Altieri and his wife Sara of Exeter, N.H.; Kevin Altieri, his wife Tracey and son Peter of Fairfield; Matthew Altieri of Cambridge, Mass.; Anne Altieri of Boston; Brianna Altieri of Fairfield and John Shelton Altieri of Fairfield, and a sister Theresa Fasciano and her husband Aldo of Clearwater, Fla. She was predeceased by brothers Joseph and Peter and an infant son Joseph.

A memorial Mass will take place at 10 a.m. July 30 in St. Pius X Catholic Church, Fairfield. Plans for a service in Key Largo will be announced in the fall. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Cure Alzheimer's Fund, 34 Washington St., Suite 200, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481; www.curealzfund.org. To place an online condolence, visit www.spearmillerfuneralhome.com.