Obituary of Ellen Smith

Ellen M. Smith, devoted mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and aunt passed away on Sunday morning, September 15, 2013. She would have celebrated her 90th Birthday in November. Ellen was born in Somerville, the daughter of Canadian immigrants, the late Francis and Blanche Lydeard. She grew up in Dorchester and was a graduate of the former Dorchester High School for Girls. She lived in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts for many years, where she was very involved with the Brownies, Girl Scouts, and St. Mary’s Sodality in Lee. Moving back to the Boston area to be near her parents and family, she settled in Woburn and then Burlington. Ellen was very independent throughout her life, balancing a career and raising her daughters. A dedicated secretary, admin assistant, office manager, and long-time member of the Professional Secretaries Association, she was a trusted and valued member of every executive team she served. After many years with companies such as Ortho Pharmaceuticals in Lexington and Stone & Webster in Boston, she ‘unofficially’ retired, but soon returned to the workplace at the former BayBank in Lexington. In her younger days, Ellen loved roller and ice skating, both of which she passed on to her family. Over time, she developed into an extremely talented seamstress, making clothes for herself and her family including her grandaughters’ First Communion dresses. She also enjoyed reading and listening to music, in particular the Viennese music of Andre Rieu. Ellen made and kept lifelong friends but her family always came first, especially her three girls. She made sure that everyone had gifts at Christmas and never took a trip without bringing back some souvenir for each of her kids and grandkids. She was her nieces’ and nephews’ favorite aunt, never missing their birthdays or celebrations. She was the last of her siblings and will be missed by all. Her family will forever cherish and be grateful for her love, devotion, selflessness, strength, and independence, and we will never forget her warm and endearing smile. Ellen leaves her daughters Blanche Peck (Thomas) of Wilmington, Christine Twohig (Robert D’Amore) of W. Newbury, and Diane Teto (Harold) of North Grafton. She was predeceased by her siblings Vincent Lydeard, Isabelle Lotko, Florence Peyton, & Aubrey Lydeard, and by a great-granddaughter, Hannah Burns. She was the loving grandmother of George Twohig, Cheryl DiRienzo, Suzanne Burns, Shelly Hudson, Thomas Peck, & Derek Twohig, and great-grandmother of 14 great grandchildren. Funeral from the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (Exit 34 off Rt. 128, Woburn side) on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 9 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Barbara’s Church, 138 Cambridge Road, Woburn at 10 a.m. Visiting hours Tuesday 4-8 p.m. Interment in St. Joseph Cemetery, West Roxbury. Memorials in Ellen’s name may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 480 Pleasant St., Watertown, MA 02472 ww.alz.or or Dana Farber Cancer Institute – Jimmy Fund, PO Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284-9168. www.dana-farber.org