Eleanor D. 'Ellie' Weinrich, 96

Eleanor D. “Ellie” Weinrich, 96, of Littleton, Colorado, passed away Sept. 16, 2018.

She is survived by her beloved husband of 69 years, Ray.

She was preceded in death by her children, Candace and Raymond.

Eleanor Griffeth was born and raised in Morris, Illinois. After graduating from Morris High School, she attended Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois, on a music scholarship. While there, she became a member of Delta Zeta Sorority. Teachers were needed. At the end of two years of college, she was offered three teaching jobs. She chose to return home to teach first and second graders at Garfield School. After one year, she was transferred to Center School and taught first graders in the same room she had started her own first grade. She continued her education with summer courses at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Then she decided to continue full time to obtain her degree at the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she met Ray Weinrich. Ray called her “Ellie” and it stuck for the rest of her life! Ray and Ellie were married 69 years. Ray worked as an aerospace engineer and it took them to many interesting places with General Electric — several years in Schenectady, New York, and Malvern, Pennsylvania.

Ellie had previously directed older children’s choirs at the Methodist Church in Morris, so she directed the Cherub Choir of 6 and 7 year olds at the Methodist Church in Malvern. She also sang in the adult choir. Later they moved to Littleton to be with Martin Marrieta Company.

They visited many interesting places, like Florida, were Ellie saw the launching of a Discover Space Shuttle at the Cape; in California where she spent the summer months on the seashore of La Jolla while Ray worked; in Dallas, with much sightseeing around the area; the greatest experiences of all were in Washington, D.C., where they spent one year; and then several weeks in Scotland and England.

Throughout all of these years, Ellie enjoyed music, teaching children to play the piano, tole paintings included not only pictures and calendars but when needed painted special canes for herself and friends and seasonal art work. She enjoyed her home in Colorado and the historic home her sister Lucy left her in Montana.

She will be buried in Kalispell with her children.