Eileen Reich
Eileen Elizabeth Reich of Hopkinton passed away Nov. 8, 2025. Eileen moved with her family from her birthplace in New Jersey to Rockville, Maryland, at a very young age and grew up there until leaving for Boston College immediately after high school. At Boston College, she studied physiological psychology (a.k.a. behavioral neurology), graduating with high honors and as a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. She remained close to several of her college classmates throughout her life. During her final year, she met her future husband, Robert. They were married in 1983 on Cape Cod and, a few months later, settled in downtown Hopkinton.
In her early professional life after college, Eileen worked in Boston in various human resources roles until she arrived at Filene’s HR Department, a job she loved and stayed with for several years. Around the turn of the millennium, Eileen enrolled at Lesley University, where she earned a master’s degree in mental health counseling. She became licensed and had since worked as a counselor, most notably for 20 years at Youth and Family Services in the town of Westborough. She loved her work, her coworkers and her clients very much. Eileen also loved her dogs. Having grown up with dachshunds, she naturally gravitated to the breed again and again. She probably was a familiar sight to some, walking her dog Holly and later Shannon around Hopkinton. Eileen was a dedicated yoga practitioner and meditator for most of her adult life. She participated in yoga classes and meditation groups around Metrowest and made some very dear, lifelong friends along the way.
The town of Sandwich on Cape Cod held a special place in Eileen’s heart. Since her parents first took her there as an infant, she spent part of nearly every summer enjoying its beauty. East Sandwich was a place of quiet days and long evenings of sun, sea breezes, beach walks and the joyful company of her family (and always a dachshund).
Eileen is survived by her husband, Robert Ionta of Hopkinton, her sister, Margerie Reich of Maryland, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law and numerous nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews and very dear friends.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 19, from 10-11 a.m. at Chesmore Funeral Home in Hopkinton. A funeral home service will follow at 11 a.m., followed by a private burial. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition (mbcc.org) or Wild Care of Cape Cod (wildcarecapecod.org), two of the causes important to Eileen.
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I was so sad to learn of Eileen’s death. She was a student of mine when I taught in the Psychology Department at Boston College. She ranked with the very best students I taught. My wife and I attended her wedding to Bob Ionta. I send my deepest condolences to Bob.