Eileen Willner

Eileen Willner passed away peacefully in her sleep on February 5, 2020 after a year- long battle with cancer. She was 81. Eileen was born in Brooklyn, New York on September 24, 1938. She graduated Lafayette High School in Brooklyn at the age of 16 and went on to graduate from Brooklyn College at the age of 20. After college graduation, Eileen worked as an elementary school teacher for underprivileged children in New York City before deciding to raise her two children full time. After 10 years out of the work force, she reinvented herself and worked her way up the ranks of corporate development before finally obtaining a position as senior director of development at New York (formerly Columbia) Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan. Eileen spent 25 years at the Hospital where she was responsible for raising tens of millions of dollars for hospital research, expansion and growth. She was a loved and trusted colleague, mentor and leader. She worked up until retirement at the age of 75. Known for her intelligence, edgy sense of humor, enjoyment of life, and frank and direct communication style, she had a deep love of family and friends and was ultimately most proud of her role as devoted mother, grandmother and wife. She was preceded in death by her beloved parents Lee Goldstein and Arthur Goldstein, as well as her brother Bob Goldstein and sister in law Ella Goldstein. She is survived by her of husband of 36 years Gary Willner; her son Doug Sandberg; her son Greg Sandberg; her daughter in law Rebecca Sandberg; her daughter in law Vicki Sandberg; and her 4 grandchildren: Faris Caroline Sandberg; Drew Sandberg; Jason Sandberg & Arielle Sandberg. Eileen’s ashes will be spread at the beach in South Florida, where she and Gary lived for the last six years. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society and/or New York Presbyterian Hospital office of Development.