Eileen Mary (Scanlon) Garforth, 85, passed away peacefully on June 6, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. She was born June 15, 1939, in Pittsburgh to the late Edward and Catherine (Emmerich) Scanlon. Eileen is survived by her daughter Leah (Jim) Kelly of Groveport, Ohio; grandchildren Tom Kelly of Cincinnati, Ohio, Patrick (Matt) Kelly-Hard of Chicago, Illinois, and Hannah Kelly of Columbus, Ohio; and many nieces and nephews. She graduated from the former St. John the Baptist High School and earned a bachelor's degree in history secondary education from the University of Pittsburgh. Eileen had many and varied passions, but her grandchildren were her pride and joy. She loved traveling to their many sports and school activities and recitals, and they loved the time they spent with her on their "Mimi vacations." She was a voracious reader on a lifelong quest for learning. She loved theater, live music, entertaining, her three dogs, her Irish heritage, and the Steelers. She served for many years as a substitute teacher and her career highlight was serving as a docent at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, where she loved hosting fun and educational children's birthday parties. She excelled as a caretaker for elderly family members, whom she always included in family celebrations so they would not be alone. Known for her storytelling and wit, she was an incredible hostess for many celebrations. She complemented her reading with traveling, visiting 37 states and ten countries, and gave her grandchildren a love of traveling. Eileen is preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Tom Garforth, who said she was "the sparkle in his eyes," her parents, brother and sister-in-law Paul and Dolores Scanlon, and great-aunt Leah Sullivan, whom she cared for over many years.

The family thanks the staff and Eileen's neighbors at Cherry Blossom Senior Living in Columbus, and the caregivers of Capital City Hospice.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Friday July 18, 2025 10:00 a.m. at St Pio of Pietrelcina Parish, (formerly St. Augustine's Church in Lawrenceville) 225 37th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15201. There will be a luncheon immediately following Mass at Monte Cello's Restaurant, 2198 Babcock Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15209.

Funeral arrangements through Pfeifer Woodyard Funeral Services, at pfeifer-woodyard.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations to St. Joseph Indian School, stjo.org/flowers, which Eileen supported for decades.