Treis, Eileen M. (nee Banjai) Saturday, April 14, 2018. 91 years young. Beloved wife of Arthur Treis and the late Roland O. Stein. Exceptionally loving and caring mother of Dan Stein (Kris) and Meri Feist (Bill). Dearest Grandmother of Chris Stein, Angela Morton (Josh) and Jack Feist, and Great-Grandmother of Devon and Mason Morton. Eileen is also survived by Art’s children, Mary McLaughlin (Phil Dyson), and Phil (Brenda) and Paul (Patti) Treis, and grandchildren Mike, Matt, Stephen and Rebecca Treis, and Lauren Bond. Dear sister-in-law, aunt, cousin, and friend to many.
Eileen was born to Blazius and Mary Banjai on October 17, 1926. She married Ronnie, as she lovingly called him, in June of 1949 and became a devoted stay-at-home wife and mom. She enjoyed working in her flower gardens, tending to the plants and blossoms that brought beauty to her home both inside and outside. Every Spring, her prized oleander bush was reluctantly carried by Ronnie and Dan from the basement to the outdoors, where her green thumb worked its magic, nurturing the plant until it blossomed. She was so proud when it bloomed every year and wanted to share her joy with those who visited. She also enjoyed fishing and camping with both family and friends. She spent many hours on a variety of lakes waiting for those blue gill to snag her hook. She eventually out-grew camping and sleeping in a tent, and graduated to a camping trailer, and eventually to a house on a fishing lake with actual bathrooms! Many evenings were spent around the campfire with family having a light libation with her children while helping her grandchildren make roasted marshmallows and campfire pies. Eileen loved traveling and visited Hawaii, South Dakota, Wyoming, California, New Mexico, and Florida, just to name a few. Eileen met Art several years after Ronnie passed away, and married again in November 1997, when her family more than doubled in size. She was fortunate to have married Art, who loved her dearly, who also enjoyed the things that she enjoyed such as being with family and friends, participating in activities such as bowling and eating out. In addition to spending time at the lake house, she continued travelling and expanded the list of places that she visited by adding Tennessee, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Niagra Falls, as well as taking an occasional cruise.
Eileen created some of the best memories for her grandchildren. For example, when Chris, her oldest grandson, was 15 years old, she thought that he needed to practice driving before he got his permit. She let him drive from the lake house into town, not just once, but several times. While babysitting, Eileen would tell granddaughter Angie, that grandpa was home from work. She had assigned Angie the task of getting a cold beer from the refrigerator, wait on the couch, and hand the beer to grandpa as soon as he walked in the door. Angie may have taken a sip or two if she wanted so grandpa may have never received his full 12 ounces of brew. Both Chris and Angie must have been sworn to secrecy and kept their promise to their grandma until today. By the time Jack, her third grandchild, came along, Eileen was 81. Jack liked to tease Nena, as he called her. She would tease him back and they would laugh together which always ended in a cuddle and her telling him how much she loved him. Once when Jack was five, they were laughing face to face and Jack says, “Nena you spit on me”. Nena said, “That’s what happens when you make Nena laugh”.
Eileen’s devotion to her family never wavered and we have been extremely lucky to have such a sweet, kind-hearted, amazing and generous woman as the matriarch of our family. Memories of her will forever be ingrained in our minds and in our hearts.
Visitation on Tuesday, April 17 from 4:00-8:00 p.m. at Kutis Funeral Home at 10151 Gravois, Affton, MO. Service on Wednesday, April 18 at 10:00 a.m. at Kutis. Interment Park Lawn Cemetery.