Nov. 14, 1954 - Jan. 16, 2016
In the evening hours of January 16, 2016, together with her daughter Dana, Ellen gave in to her courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. She passed away peacefully and was reunited with her parents Alice and Stuart, her aunt Nora, and her brother Dean.
Ellen was born in Terrace, BC in 1954, and moved to Port Moody to be near the G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre after contracting Polio as an infant. She graduated from Simon Fraser University in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and moved to Nelson to start her family and her 33+ year career with Service Canada. Ellen retired and moved to Kamloops, BC prior to the birth of her first grandson in 2010 to be an active grandparent. Throughout her life, some of her favorite pass times were scrapbooking, camping, quading, bowling, swimming, listening to music, training her dog Zoey in agility and rally, and being a loving mother and a doting Nana to her grandsons.
Ellen’s strength of spirit to never let her physical disability dictate her life was an inspiration to all who had the privilege of knowing her. She will be deeply missed by her daughter Dana (Greg), her two grandsons Mason and Cooper, her sister Susan (Ron), her brother Rick (Christine), her best friend of 50+ years Peggy, and her ex-husband Will. Countless extended family members and friends will also miss her humour, generosity, and acceptance of others.
She shone light, laughter, and hope on all she associated with, and was extremely grateful for everyone in her life. A celebration of Ellen’s life will be held on April 23, 2016, in Kamloops BC. Contact the family for details.
In lue of flowers, anyone wishing to do so may make a donation in Ellen’s name to the
Kamloops Hospice Association.