Eileen G. Racy

Eileen Grace Fordham RacyEileen Grace Fordham was born on January 16, 1928, in Newmarket England, the second child of Arthur and Elizabeth (Downs) Fordham. As a child she and her family spent many nights first in a damp and cold bomb shelter across the road and later abandoning that for what they hoped was a protected area under the stairs of their home while German bombers roared overhead. She always said they were not so frightened of the first flight of the night since those were headed to bomb the factories in the midlands. What was terrifying was the ones who were limping back to Germany, jettisoning any unused bombs on the populated areas as they went.On April 29, 1945, Eileen (known as Snowy to all her friends and family) married Oscar Racy, an American G.I. From Cherryvale, Kansas, who was stationed near Newmarket while serving in the Eight Air Force. The war actually ended a few days after the wedding while they were still on their honeymoon at a hotel in London's Picadilly Circus. A huge celebration broke out under their window,similar to what went on in Times Square in New York.Eileen was in the first wave of war brides allowed to leave Europe. She was transported to New York on board the Vulcania arriving in February 1946. There she was met by her husband to drive back across country to Cherryvale where they spent the rest of their marriage. Oscar died in March of 2001 and Eileen remained in their home until suffering a severe stroke earlier this year.Mrs. Racy was an active member of the Cherryvale United Methodist Church and the UMW. She especially enjoyed the exercise group at the church three mornings a week. She was a working member of the Women's Civic Club for many years, only leaving when it disbanded. Monday Bingo at the Senior Center was one of her pleasures. But perhaps her greatest pleasure came from feeding people. She was famous for her cookies and hardly any workmen who came to her house left without a meal. Eileen was dedicated to her family and making sure all their needs were met.She is survived by her three children " Elizabeth Tincknell and her husband Richard of rural Cherryvale, William (Bill) Racy and his companion Jane Smith of rural Cherryvale, and Jeffrey Racy and his wife Rochelle of Martinsville, Indiana. Also surviving are four grandchildren " Sara (Tincknell) Dreisbach and husband Mark of Thayer, H. Andrew Tincknell and wife Janett of Hays, Kansas, Christina (Racy) Roberson and husband Daniel of Cherryvale, and Rhiannon Racy of Lawrence, Kansas. Two great-granddaughters, Katherine (Dreisbach) Madl and husband Nathaniel of Thayer and Kylie Roberson of Cherryvale. Eileen is also survived by her sister, Pamela Tweed, of Cromer, Norfolk, England and several well loved nieces and nephews.She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her sister " Sybil Teasdale and brother Geoffrey Fordham.Celebration of Life Funeral Services will be held 10:00 A.M., Saturday, August 30, 2014 at Cherryvale United Methodist Church. Interment will be held in Fairview Cemetery.Friends may sign the register book from 12Noon until 8:00 P.M. Friday at Wickham Family Funeral Home, 216 East 4th, Cherryvale, Kansas. The family will receive friends from 6:00 P.M. until 7:30 P.M. Friday.Memorial remembrances are suggested to the Cherryvale Public"Library and they may be left or mailed to the funeral home.