ELEANOR KATHERINE MACKINNON HOCHANADEL
BELOVED MOTHER AND FRIEND
Of West Yarmouth, formerly of Westwood.
On October 18, 2019 this world lost a beautiful soul of love and light when Eleanor Katherine
MacKinnon Hochanadel passed at the age of 94. Born on April 13, 1925 she grew up in Newton,
MA with her parents John D. and Ellen Ayers MacKinnon and two brothers, Donald and Neil.
When WWII intruded into her teenage life she went to work at a warplane factory assembling
bomber engines and kept a lookout as an enemy plane spotter. She interrupted her college
education when she met Navy Lieutenant Paul J. Hochanadel on a beach in Cohasset and
married him at age 19 before he was sent off to the Pacific Arena. They celebrated their 59 th
anniversary before Paul died in 2004. With him Eleanor created a family of five children. Her
eldest daughter Lynne Ellen Hochanadel predeceased her in 1997. Eleanor is survived by her
children Deborah Ann Hochanadel, Esq., Dr. Gail Susan Hochanadel and partner Lance
McComish, David John Hochanadel and wife Lori and daughter Sharon, and Paul J. Hochanadel,
Jr. and wife Marguerite and daughter Jessica with her husband Chip and three children Katelyn,
Jaxson and Abigail.
Eleanor was the heart and soul of the family, always there for her kids with
love. We all could depend on her. She was a skipper navigating Life’s waters with a firm hand
on the tiller, meeting each challenging shift in the wind head-on with grit, courage, skill and
poise. Eleanor took on the daunting task of returning to her college education in her early
fifties and graduated from Wellesley College in 1983 Magna cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa and a
Durant Scholar. She was a seeker of knowledge, always wanting to learn something new. She
was a talented artist in painting, sculpting, and photography. She exhibited in various venues
including the Cape Cod Art Association and the Provincetown Art Association.
Her lifelong love of music soared in her lovely voice and piano playing, as well as in her love of dancing. She
loved sunsets, moon rises, blue skies, rainbows, birds, Brigham’s coffee ice cream, sports cars,
sailing, miniature golf, spending time with her kids, and rooting for the Patriots. She loved the
beach, swimming in the ocean, making circles in the sand, collecting stones and shells,
photographing the poetry of the sea. She loved life, loved seeing what was around the next
bend in the road. She was adventurous, loved to travel and explore. She was interested in
everything. She was a feminist and an environmentalist. When she took on a cause she was all
in. Dressed up with her indisputably classy style or doing yard work in old clothes, Eleanor’s
beauty always shone through. She filled all of her children’s lives with love and caring. Eleanor
was an inspiration to family and friends alike. Our love is forever with you, Mom.
Obituary lovingly written by the family of Eleanor Hochanadel