Please share a thought, a funny story, a memory,
or anything that comes to mind about Ellen
Thoughts (9)
Guest
Mar 09, 2023
Ellen was my best friend and confidant over the past seven years. We met when she and another lady asked me to become Floor Representative. at our Independent Living Facility. Although we had never met earlier. even though we lived four apartments apart, I quickly realized that I had just met a truly remarkable lady.. Getting together a couple times a week became every day. Ellen was a remarkable lady: She was always a loving person, concerned about the less fortunate amongst us, who never spoke ill of anybody, loved teaching the less fortunate, always offered to help, loved exercising and was a loyal friend. I was blessed to have had her as my very best friend for 6 wonderful years. Ellen was truly one of the few people that I have known who had their altogether.
Ellen, God Bless You, Ted Edson
Guest
Dec 22, 2022
What a lovely story of a lovely woman. I’ve known Ellen for only two decades, but I could see and hear her throughout the narrative of her life. And thank you for the pictures.
I loved and admired Ellen for her strength and spirit, whether dealing with the most difficult challenges life can offer or simply beating me at whatever game we were playing. Ellen was always engaged in life – with family, work, volunteer activities, travel, and community. She had a gift for making friends wherever she went. I’m lucky to be one of them. I miss her.
Trish
Guest
Dec 19, 2022
I met Ellen 35 years ago when we worked at Associated Grantmakers. She, Louise Forsythe and I often were in charge of large mailings (stuffing, sealing, sorting and stamping) and we dubbed ourselves the fictitious Brahmin-sounding firm of Danielson, Donham and Forsythe. Ellen and I often took walks at lunch, trying to cover as much new territory as we could do during an hour; when it rained we sometimes played backgammon. She even convinced me to take over her bookkeeping responsibilities since she hated them! She was responsible for my favorite Secret Santa gift -- a basket of alternative fixings for grilled cheese since she was fed up with my same choice of bread and cheese every day. We continued to meet periodically for picnic lunches at Lake Cochituate. I loved and admired Ellen. I am grateful for her presence in my life and for meeting Tom and Judy, whom my husband and I enjoy very much. I will miss her. My condolences to her friends and family far and wide. She was a force and she was so much fun.
-Becca Donham
Guest
Dec 19, 2022
Ellen was such a good friend of mine when I lived in Needham. I enjoyed our time together at her house on Great Plain Avenue. I’m regret that I lost touch with her. My sympathy to you, Judy and Tom. Love, Enid (Brown) Crowell.
Guest
Dec 18, 2022
Judy - what an incredible life story. An amazing woman - just like her daughter. :-) You look JUST like her. Wishing you love and comfort during this time. I hope in between the crying you make time for the funny memories. Below are the words from a meditation I did one time on grief. I hope you find some small comfort in it. Let's have lunch soon - you/me/Suzie. GRIEF MEDITATION:
To live a life means witnessing beginnings and endings in each moment.
As we continue to grow older we will lose over a lifetime many things that we love.
We’ll lose the ones that love us, that created us, and gave us this gift of life. We may lose children, friendships, jobs, hopes, pets, dreams homes and often ourselves.
We’ll try to find as many ways as we can to deal with our grief as it arises. To survive, we’ll push it down as far as it can go. We’ll rush our healing or get stuck in a thinking loop believing we can return to the person we were before we had to say goodbye to whatever it is that created the absence that aches our heart.
Every kind of grief that exists is created through death of some kind. Allow this as gently as possible to settle in as your breath moves through you: Every kind of grief that exists is created through death of some kind.
And every kind of grief starts with loving something or someone or someplace. Grief is really a signal that we loved or were loved greatly. We often want to speed our way through the things that feel impossible or unbearable or unbreathable.
Here’s the thing: with death our relationship with the ones we loved or who loved us doesn’t end. Ever. We often can’t see this in the days, weeks, and months that follow the loss of someone we love. We can’t see or feel anything beyond the trauma of their absence. All we know is we feel so alone without them. But as Mary Oliver said, “To live in this world, you must be able to do three things: to love what is mortal, to hold it against your bones knowing your whole life depends on it, and when the time comes to let it go."
Time is the only remedy for the tell-tale heart whether it’s broken or lost. Time may not erase our pain but it will soften it. Like everything pain will come and it will go. And it will become easier to feel, to hold, to be.
And we will learn that those whom we lose will remain with us because that’s what love does, it stays. Lisa Thompson
Guest
Dec 18, 2022
Judy - I'm sorry to hear of your mom's passing. I have fond memories of your home in Needham, as Janet was a dear friend.
Mark Webb
Guest
Dec 18, 2022
Judy, although Ralph and I did not know your mother we know what a lovely woman she was all of her life. We understand from your dad that she was kind, thoughtful, nice to be with and always willing to help others. Of course she must have been special to have raised a daughter like you. We know how helpful and loving you were to her in her later years and most likely throughout her life. Of course she loved you dearly and we can see why she was so proud of you. With love to you and yours today. Sallie and Ralph Smith
Guest
Dec 17, 2022
Judy and Tom, to say I’m sorry for your loss doesn’t seem quite right, though I know amidst the memories you have of Ellen there is plenty of sadness as you say so long. What a remarkable woman Ellen seems to have been and I know you celebrate a beautiful life that she clearly lived to its fullest.
Please know I am thinking of you during this time.
Warmly,
Tim Blevins
Guest
Dec 17, 2022
I'm so sorry, Judy. You always spoke of her with love, respect, and admiration. She sounded like such a strong, spunky, lovely lady. You have every kiss and hug she ever gave you.
Ellen was my best friend and confidant over the past seven years. We met when she and another lady asked me to become Floor Representative. at our Independent Living Facility. Although we had never met earlier. even though we lived four apartments apart, I quickly realized that I had just met a truly remarkable lady.. Getting together a couple times a week became every day. Ellen was a remarkable lady: She was always a loving person, concerned about the less fortunate amongst us, who never spoke ill of anybody, loved teaching the less fortunate, always offered to help, loved exercising and was a loyal friend. I was blessed to have had her as my very best friend for 6 wonderful years. Ellen was truly one of the few people that I have known who had their altogether.
Ellen, God Bless You, Ted Edson
What a lovely story of a lovely woman. I’ve known Ellen for only two decades, but I could see and hear her throughout the narrative of her life. And thank you for the pictures.
I loved and admired Ellen for her strength and spirit, whether dealing with the most difficult challenges life can offer or simply beating me at whatever game we were playing. Ellen was always engaged in life – with family, work, volunteer activities, travel, and community. She had a gift for making friends wherever she went. I’m lucky to be one of them. I miss her.
Trish
I met Ellen 35 years ago when we worked at Associated Grantmakers. She, Louise Forsythe and I often were in charge of large mailings (stuffing, sealing, sorting and stamping) and we dubbed ourselves the fictitious Brahmin-sounding firm of Danielson, Donham and Forsythe. Ellen and I often took walks at lunch, trying to cover as much new territory as we could do during an hour; when it rained we sometimes played backgammon. She even convinced me to take over her bookkeeping responsibilities since she hated them! She was responsible for my favorite Secret Santa gift -- a basket of alternative fixings for grilled cheese since she was fed up with my same choice of bread and cheese every day. We continued to meet periodically for picnic lunches at Lake Cochituate. I loved and admired Ellen. I am grateful for her presence in my life and for meeting Tom and Judy, whom my husband and I enjoy very much. I will miss her. My condolences to her friends and family far and wide. She was a force and she was so much fun.
-Becca Donham
Ellen was such a good friend of mine when I lived in Needham. I enjoyed our time together at her house on Great Plain Avenue. I’m regret that I lost touch with her. My sympathy to you, Judy and Tom. Love, Enid (Brown) Crowell.
Judy - what an incredible life story. An amazing woman - just like her daughter. :-) You look JUST like her. Wishing you love and comfort during this time. I hope in between the crying you make time for the funny memories. Below are the words from a meditation I did one time on grief. I hope you find some small comfort in it. Let's have lunch soon - you/me/Suzie. GRIEF MEDITATION:
To live a life means witnessing beginnings and endings in each moment.
As we continue to grow older we will lose over a lifetime many things that we love.
We’ll lose the ones that love us, that created us, and gave us this gift of life. We may lose children, friendships, jobs, hopes, pets, dreams homes and often ourselves.
We’ll try to find as many ways as we can to deal with our grief as it arises. To survive, we’ll push it down as far as it can go. We’ll rush our healing or get stuck in a thinking loop believing we can return to the person we were before we had to say goodbye to whatever it is that created the absence that aches our heart.
Every kind of grief that exists is created through death of some kind. Allow this as gently as possible to settle in as your breath moves through you: Every kind of grief that exists is created through death of some kind.
And every kind of grief starts with loving something or someone or someplace. Grief is really a signal that we loved or were loved greatly. We often want to speed our way through the things that feel impossible or unbearable or unbreathable.
Here’s the thing: with death our relationship with the ones we loved or who loved us doesn’t end. Ever. We often can’t see this in the days, weeks, and months that follow the loss of someone we love. We can’t see or feel anything beyond the trauma of their absence. All we know is we feel so alone without them. But as Mary Oliver said, “To live in this world, you must be able to do three things: to love what is mortal, to hold it against your bones knowing your whole life depends on it, and when the time comes to let it go."
Time is the only remedy for the tell-tale heart whether it’s broken or lost. Time may not erase our pain but it will soften it. Like everything pain will come and it will go. And it will become easier to feel, to hold, to be.
And we will learn that those whom we lose will remain with us because that’s what love does, it stays. Lisa Thompson
Judy - I'm sorry to hear of your mom's passing. I have fond memories of your home in Needham, as Janet was a dear friend.
Mark Webb
Judy, although Ralph and I did not know your mother we know what a lovely woman she was all of her life. We understand from your dad that she was kind, thoughtful, nice to be with and always willing to help others. Of course she must have been special to have raised a daughter like you. We know how helpful and loving you were to her in her later years and most likely throughout her life. Of course she loved you dearly and we can see why she was so proud of you. With love to you and yours today. Sallie and Ralph Smith
Judy and Tom, to say I’m sorry for your loss doesn’t seem quite right, though I know amidst the memories you have of Ellen there is plenty of sadness as you say so long. What a remarkable woman Ellen seems to have been and I know you celebrate a beautiful life that she clearly lived to its fullest.
Please know I am thinking of you during this time.
Warmly,
Tim Blevins
I'm so sorry, Judy. You always spoke of her with love, respect, and admiration. She sounded like such a strong, spunky, lovely lady. You have every kiss and hug she ever gave you.
Love,
Mary