Eileene Douthard-Harris

Eileene Douthard-Harris, affectionately known as Ms. Eileene, was born on September 27, 1953, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to the late Mattie and Donald Ward. Rooted in her Catholic faith from an early age, she attended St. Mark’s for elementary school and graduated from Marian High School. She went on to earn an Associate Degree in Business Administration/Junior Accounting from Betz Business College in Cincinnati.

Family was the heart of Ms. Eileene’s life. She lovingly raised her three children—Talib, Paul, and Niquita—instilling in them the same family values and faith that guided her own journey. Holidays and gatherings were made memorable by her famous greens, macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, and fried fish—meals prepared with care that brought generations to the table.

A lifelong servant to her community, Ms. Eileene worked for three companies before discovering her calling at the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative (CYC). Over nearly two decades, she poured her gifts into CYC through a series of vital roles: Administrative Assistant to the Mentoring Program, Mentor Coordinator, New Mentor Coordinator Trainer, and Girls Club Coordinator. On May 9, 2025, she retired as Volunteer Engagement Manager, having shaped a culture of service that continues to inspire.

Her greatest joy came through her work with the Girls Club program, where she supported teams of volunteer mentors and led multiple school-based mentoring groups each year. She cared deeply for volunteers, students, and families alike, seeing in each person the spark of potential. In honor of her mother, Mrs. Mattie Ward, Ms. Eileene founded and personally led the Girls Sewing Club at Taft Elementary for four years—funding the first year herself and sustaining the program with support from the Dan and Susan Pfau Foundation. She built bonds that lasted well beyond the classroom, attending the girls’ graduations and cheering them on as they stepped into adulthood.

Ms. Eileene is preceded in death by her parents, Mattie and Donald Ward, grandparents Elizabeth and Willie Wright and Grand friend Tierra Nicole Douthard. She is lovingly remembered by her children Talib, Paul, and Niquita; step children Ebony, Laura and Shanil; her 16 Grand-friends; her siblings Bruce Williams and Gregory Williams; a host of extended family, mentees, colleagues, and friends who were blessed by her kindness, steady faith, and unwavering commitment to young people.

Her legacy is one of Faith, Family, Perseverance, and Youth Service—a legacy that will continue to live on in the lives she touched and the programs she built.

Memorial Contributions

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations in Ms. Eileene’s honor to organizations that champion youth mentorship and education, including the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative (CYC), reflecting her life’s work and passion.

“Well done, good and faithful servant.”