The Essence of Ellie

We’re gathered together today to celebrate Ellie’s life and the legacy she left behind her.

While each and every one of us may have had different experiences with Ellie, we all cherished

her in our own unique way. No matter how seemingly insignificant your first or last encounter

with her was. Our lives are built on the experiences we share with one another, and not on the

principle of time passing; because without the relationships we formed with Ellie with each

other, time itself has no meaning. I’d like to preface this by asking you all to sit on this question

as I speak, and think on your response: what was the essence of Ellie to you, and how can her life

inspire you to lead a better life of your own (“Three Key Questions” Fr. Michael Hines - Moreau

FYE Week Three)?

When I first met Ellie, the first thing I came to realize quickly was her love of music.

Although by no means was she a gifted singer, even though she constantly was singing or

whistling, she was absolutely infatuated by music. Jazz for when she studied, classical for

reading, oldies for cooking, you name it: Ellie had a soundtrack to her life, and her character

embodied the joy and brightness of the music loved so dearly. After putting much thought into it,

I selected a song that I believe best captures Ellie in all of her dimensions: ‘Vienna’ by Billy

Joel. I’ll do my best to describe the song for those who don’t know them, but I believe that this

song beautifully represents the energy that Ellie put forth into the universe during her lifetime.

And, just as songs provide lasting memories, sources of inspiration and joy, and leave an impact

on their audience, Ellie led a lifetime that did the same (“Address at the Respect for Life Mass”

by Father Hesburgh - Moreau FYE Week Two).



Before doing that, however, I’d like to stop and outline the larger milestones along Ellie’s

lifetime, and highlight her accomplishments and values that were important to her. I can’t answer

this question for Ellie, but if I were to answer the proposition, what do I want to be remembered

for, and how did I lead a life well lived? A couple of things come to mind: above all, I believe

that Ellie should be remembered for her heart and humor, two things she put into every endeavor

entirely. The word awkward did not exist in her vocabulary, and I do truly mean that; no matter

the situation, for better or worse Ellie had a line of jokes waiting to be made to brighten the

mood or ease the tension. I’m sure that everyone here can recall a story (or maybe conflict!)

involving her wit and lip. And of course not every joke landed, which is to be expected when you

never stop making them, but her determination to spark laughter in every conversation always

served as a reminder to be the positive light in your life, and the lives of those around you (“The

Power of Vulnerability” by Brene Brown - Moreau FYE Week One). Every sailor needs a

lighthouse to keep them afloat, and Ellie made it her mission to uplift those around her at every

opportunity with laughter, which is an achievement I know she was extremely proud of. Even in

her own life, Ellie’s positivity remained unaffected even when she was met with significant

obstacles she’d needed to overcome. If a near death experience and traumatic brain injury

couldn’t slow down her perpetual stand up act, I’m not sure anything could (“5 Minutes” by the

Grotto - Moreau FYE Week Six).

Alongside Ellie’s humor was her heart, and I believe she was the embodiment of the

sentiment shared in Mother Theresa’s assertion to “spread love everywhere you go. Let no one

ever come to you without leaving happier” (Mother Theresa - Moreau FYE Week Seven). The

relationships she shared with her friends and family were truly what she valued most in life. The



most important relationship in her life was undoubtedly with her father Sean, who was her

lifelong inspiration and shared her passions for building relationships and seeking opportunities

for charity. Everything she ever did was with her father in mind, whether it was with

life-changing decisions such as choosing a career path that sparked the same fire within her that

Sean’s did with him, or the more mundane things like seeking opportunities to give back to the

community around her in any way she could (Discernment Conversation Activity - Moreau FYE

Week Five). Sean and Ellie both shared an intensity and drive that they used to lead a life that

brought joy not only to themselves but those around them, and the accomplishments Ellie

achieved during her lifetime certainly underscore this.

During her career as an engineer, Ellie dedicated her efforts to science and forward

progress with technological advancements, but what she was much more proud of was her work

in education and volunteering for educational outreach programs (“Exploring a Life Well-Lived -

Career Development Reflection” by Merulo Development Center - Moreau FYE Week Four).

Her tutoring program, something she’d been wanting to start since she was 15 and first began

working as a volunteer math tutor working in Spanish in Annapolis, is an embodiment of Ellie’s

passion for building relationships and extending her jurisdiction to include those who could

benefit from being given educational opportunities they would otherwise not have access to

(Tattoos on the Heart by Greg Boyle - Moreau FYE Week Seven). And in both her professional

career and volunteer interests, it’s easy to discern what Ellie valued most in life, because those

were the things she put her entire spirit into pursuing, which is something that we all should

reflect on in our own lives. Beyond optimism lies joy, and the only way that we can achieve joy

like Ellie did is to go into life with open arms, welcoming challenges and exploring opportunities

until we find whatever that thing is that makes time go away and nothing else matters.



I’d like to end today by looking back to the song I had mentioned at the beginning of the

Eulogy, “Vienna” by Billy Joel, and read some lyrics that capture the essence of Ellie: “You’ve

got your passion, “You’ve got your pride, but don’t you know that only fools are satisfied?

Dream on but don’t imagine they’ll all come true.” Her presence may be gone but her spirit

continues to shine through.