Ellen
Ellen Kelly
d. June 3, 2008
Ellen Collins Kelly
Age 82 of Huntington, NewYork, on June 3, 2008.
Ellen Collins Kelly was born on September 12, 1925 in Hornell, and grewup during the Depression on the family farm on Neil's Creek, near Haskinville, NewYork. She was descended from William Freeborn, one ofthe first settlers of Rhode Island,who arrived in Massachusettsaboard the "Francis" in 1634. Her early education took her from the Swamp School,a 1 room country schoolhouse, to Buffalo State Teachers'College, where she worked her way through schoolas a governess to the children of the artist Martha Vissser't Hooft. Shortlyafter graduating in 1947 with a degree in teaching, Ellen married Maurice CKelly with whom she celebrated their 60th anniversary in June 2007.
Ellen's first teaching job was at The Park School in Buffalo, where she taughtuntil starting a family. In 1953, the Kelly's moved to Worthington, Ohio andthroughout the 1950's, Ellen was primarily a stay at home mother to her 2daughters "Deborah and Marcia- pursuingher interests in cooking, homemaking, interior decorating, and family history.She was an avid reader and wrote numerous poems, short stories, and essays,including freelance work for The Worthington News.
In 1961 the family left Ohio for Poughkeepsie, NY.There, Ellen wrote a column called "Our Town" for the Chronicle under the penname Ann Cotton, inspired by her great grandmother Lydia Ann Cotton Collins,who was herself a poet. From childhood, Ellen had a special connection to LydiaAnn, whose 19th century diaries she treasured, along with many otherfamily artifacts of which she was the guardian.
In 1962, the family moved again, this time to Huntington, NY,where Ellen worked as a substitute teacher, free lance for local newspapers,and edited various small publications, including Tie-line, the Parent Councilnewsletter for what was then Toaz Junior High. When she returned to teachingfull time in 1964, she developed and instituted "Discovery Club" a federallysupported enrichment program for economically and academically disadvantagedelementary students. In a newspaper interview, she once explained thatchildren's "behavior problems" were the result of "unrealized potential." Through a combinationof discipline and language and development, she took children who acted out and"talked as little as possible" and taught them "to hold their heads up, andlook you in the eye and speak their names proudly." After she earned a Mastersdegree from C.W. Post, she continued to teach in District #3 until illnessforced her to take a medical leave and finally retire.
During the years after her retirement, Ellen did privatetutoring and maintained her interest in reading, writing, Americana, antiques, and family history. Herinterest in genealogy culminated in her fine work, The Collins Family History, whichcurrently served as an important resource at the Steuben County HistoricalSociety in Bath.
Ellen also served for a time on the Board of Directors ofGuide Dogs in Smithtown and took greatpleasure in her work with the Huntington Historical Society.
She is predeceased by her parents, George and MargueriteCollins of Haskinville, 2 sisters Ruth Fisher and Donna Shibley.
She is survived by her husband Maurice, 2 daughters DeborahKelly (George) Kloepfer and Marcia Kelly, 3 grandchildren Sarah, John, andHannah Kloepfer, and 3 nieces.
To send a remembrance visit www.brownandpowersfuneralhomes.com
Funeral services will take place on Saturday (June 7, 2008) at the Haskinville Wesleyan Churchat 11:00am, with the PastorMike Gallant officiating. Burial will be at Haskinville Cemetery.
Funeral arrangements entrusted to the Robertson Funeral Homeof Hornell.
Age 82 of Huntington, NewYork, on June 3, 2008.
Ellen Collins Kelly was born on September 12, 1925 in Hornell, and grewup during the Depression on the family farm on Neil's Creek, near Haskinville, NewYork. She was descended from William Freeborn, one ofthe first settlers of Rhode Island,who arrived in Massachusettsaboard the "Francis" in 1634. Her early education took her from the Swamp School,a 1 room country schoolhouse, to Buffalo State Teachers'College, where she worked her way through schoolas a governess to the children of the artist Martha Vissser't Hooft. Shortlyafter graduating in 1947 with a degree in teaching, Ellen married Maurice CKelly with whom she celebrated their 60th anniversary in June 2007.
Ellen's first teaching job was at The Park School in Buffalo, where she taughtuntil starting a family. In 1953, the Kelly's moved to Worthington, Ohio andthroughout the 1950's, Ellen was primarily a stay at home mother to her 2daughters "Deborah and Marcia- pursuingher interests in cooking, homemaking, interior decorating, and family history.She was an avid reader and wrote numerous poems, short stories, and essays,including freelance work for The Worthington News.
In 1961 the family left Ohio for Poughkeepsie, NY.There, Ellen wrote a column called "Our Town" for the Chronicle under the penname Ann Cotton, inspired by her great grandmother Lydia Ann Cotton Collins,who was herself a poet. From childhood, Ellen had a special connection to LydiaAnn, whose 19th century diaries she treasured, along with many otherfamily artifacts of which she was the guardian.
In 1962, the family moved again, this time to Huntington, NY,where Ellen worked as a substitute teacher, free lance for local newspapers,and edited various small publications, including Tie-line, the Parent Councilnewsletter for what was then Toaz Junior High. When she returned to teachingfull time in 1964, she developed and instituted "Discovery Club" a federallysupported enrichment program for economically and academically disadvantagedelementary students. In a newspaper interview, she once explained thatchildren's "behavior problems" were the result of "unrealized potential." Through a combinationof discipline and language and development, she took children who acted out and"talked as little as possible" and taught them "to hold their heads up, andlook you in the eye and speak their names proudly." After she earned a Mastersdegree from C.W. Post, she continued to teach in District #3 until illnessforced her to take a medical leave and finally retire.
During the years after her retirement, Ellen did privatetutoring and maintained her interest in reading, writing, Americana, antiques, and family history. Herinterest in genealogy culminated in her fine work, The Collins Family History, whichcurrently served as an important resource at the Steuben County HistoricalSociety in Bath.
Ellen also served for a time on the Board of Directors ofGuide Dogs in Smithtown and took greatpleasure in her work with the Huntington Historical Society.
She is predeceased by her parents, George and MargueriteCollins of Haskinville, 2 sisters Ruth Fisher and Donna Shibley.
She is survived by her husband Maurice, 2 daughters DeborahKelly (George) Kloepfer and Marcia Kelly, 3 grandchildren Sarah, John, andHannah Kloepfer, and 3 nieces.
To send a remembrance visit www.brownandpowersfuneralhomes.com
Funeral services will take place on Saturday (June 7, 2008) at the Haskinville Wesleyan Churchat 11:00am, with the PastorMike Gallant officiating. Burial will be at Haskinville Cemetery.
Funeral arrangements entrusted to the Robertson Funeral Homeof Hornell.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Ellen Kelly, please visit our flower store.
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