Eileen Marshall

Eileen Marshall was born on February 19, 1947 in Nyack, New York, the daughter of John Marshall and Dorothy Metress. She spent her childhood in Orangeburg, New York, growing up in Shanks Village. Although she contracted polio when she was 19 months old, she did not let it deter her from living her life fully. She became a crack basketball player when she attended Albertus Magnus High School in Bardonia, New York, and basketball ended up being a lifelong passion of hers. She loved watching her children play at Mission Dolores, and often planned her personal life around the Warriors’ schedule.

Eileen suffered from diabetes her entire adult life, but it never stopped her or defined her. She earned a Bachelor's degree at Nazareth College in Rochester, New York where she learned to hate snow. In 1971 she came out to San Francisco on the back of a friend's motorcycle. She was a lively, free spirit, tolerant, accepting, and unafraid, expressing the essence of San Francisco in the 1960s and 1970s. She playfully challenged others to get out of their shells and enjoy life. She was one of the original Thursday Night Crew members, spending many of those Thursdays at Pat O’Shea’s Mad Hatter. St. Patrick’s Day was her favorite holiday, and she loved celebrating it with friends and family in San Francisco. She worked for many years at the San Francisco Department of Public Health and the Curry National Tuberculosis Center, where she instigated an annual Halloween costume party and often supplied many of the costumes herself.

A generous soul in thought and action, she crocheted many wool hats for needy children. She volunteered at Martin de Porres and Old St. Mary’s. One of the highlights of her life was shopping for Christmas gifts for children in need, gathering gifts throughout the year to drop off at Christmas time at the local fire station. At work, she gifted departing co-workers with handmade Afghans and collages.

Eileen loved traveling not only with her husband and children, but with her extended family, her sister Mary Ellen, Dennis’ sisters, brothers, and cousins and their friends who became family, the Dorseys. She cherished every big family trip, from Ireland to Italy, and every Thanksgiving in Hawaii with the Dorseys, and looked forward to her annual trip to Cape May, New Jersey, her favorite place in the world. Eileen loved her children more than life itself and could not wait to spend more time with them after the pandemic.

Eileen leaves behind her husband Dennis Hart, her son Justin Hart, her daughter Shannon Hart and her sister Mary Ellen Marshall.  Brendan, Eileen and Dennis’ first son, passed away from SIDS at 10 weeks. 

Friends may call April 14th after 3:00pm at Duggan's Funeral Service, 3434 17th St., SF where the vigil we be held at 3:30pm, and are invited to attend the funeral mass on Thursday, 11:00am at Mission Dolores Basilica on 16th and Dolores Sts. Committal, Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma. 

In lieu of gifts or flowers, we encourage our family and friends to donate toward the Martin de Porres of Humanity SF and St. Jude's Hospital charities.