ELEANOR M. SEELY INSURANCE CLAIMS MANAGER, ENJOYED BEANO
Eleanor M. ''Ellie'' Seely, 73, an insurance claims manager who enjoyed playing beano, died unexpectedly Tuesday at Mercy Hospital. She had lived on Roberts Street for more than 40 years.
For the past 10 years, until last Friday, Mrs. Seely was a claims manager and personal lines underwriter for Excess Insurance Underwriters on outer Congress Street.
''Ellie was well-known and well-liked,'' said Michael Adams, president and owner of Excess. She handled the company's claims, according to Adams, including its business as the New England representative for Lloyd's of London.
''She just did an excellent job,'' said Adams. ''I got a phone call from London, from the managing director of one of the Lloyd's brokerage firms. They heard the news of her death before I notified them. That was how far-reaching her influence was.''
Mrs. Seely also handled all motorcycle policies for Excess, for which she earned the nickname ''Motorcycle Mama.'' ''She was never on a motorcycle, but that was how agents throughout New England referred to her,'' said Adams.
Mrs. Seely was self-taught in the insurance business, and worked her way up the ladder. Before Excess, she was with Maine Bonding & Casualty Co., Northeast Insurance Co. and Bradish-Young Insurance.
''She hadn't gone to school for it,'' said her daughter, Mary E. Stearns. ''She started as a file clerk at Maine Bonding.'' Later Mrs. Seely taught herself to type and made her way into the typing pool. From there she went into underwriting with Bradish-Young.
She had previously worked for W.T. Grant Co. on Congress Street.
Mrs. Seely played beano three or four nights a week, often at Shaarey Tphiloh Synagogue as well as at numerous halls around Portland. Sometimes she made the trip to the Penobscot High Stakes beano hall in Old Town. ''Beano was where she made a lot of her friends,'' said Stearns.
''She was lucky, and was well-known,'' said her son, Joseph F. Seely Sr.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Mrs. Seely enjoyed conversing on her citizens' band radio from her home. Her handle was Loveable Ell. ''She and my two sisters were known as Nobody, Anybody and Somebody (on the radio),'' said Joseph Seely.
Born in Bangor, a daughter of Carl E. and Mary A. Carney Clark, she attended Bangor schools. She moved to Portland in 1937, after living for a while in Hartford, Conn.
Her husband, James N. Seely, died in 1979.
Surviving are two daughters, Patricia A. Farnham of South Portland and Mary E. Stearns of Lyman; four sons, James N. Jr. of Pownal, Joseph F. Sr. of Portland, Terrance M. of Burke, Va., and Carl K. Seely of Limerick; a brother; William Clark of Seabury, Fla.; 23 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday at Sacred Heart Church, Mellen and Grant streets. Burial will be private. Arrangements are by Hay & Peabody, 749 Congress St.
Published in the Portland Press Herald (ME) - March 10, 1994
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