Obituaries

In Memoriam: Eleanor Pope, 74

Beloved mother and grandmother; services will be Saturday, January 26.

Eleanor M. Pope, 74, loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend, of Bethel, formerly of Ridgefield, CT, died on Monday, January 21, 2013, peacefully in her home.

Ellie was born on April 26, 1938 in Flushing Queens, NY, the daughter of Johannes Zettelmayer and Eleanor Clara Ostwald.

As a young woman she worked tirelessly in her parent’s Long Island business, crafting wooden blinds and shades; later she utilized that tireless work ethic and became a valued investigator at the Equitable Life Assurance Company in New York City. After she and her husband relocated to Ridgefield, CT, leaving the crowds of New York behind, she enthusiastically dedicated her life toward the most rewarding job of successfully running the household and raising a happy family.

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Amongst all the other household demands, she assisted her husband in the planning and production of many beloved musical productions of the Charles Pope Choristers (CPC). In addition to assisting in the production of the events, she also performed as part of the chorus. For many years, she also served on the Board of Directors for both the NY and CT groups. CPC delighted music lovers throughout the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut areas, with performances at many locations, including Town Hall, Carnegie Hall and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. This full chorus and show group presented over 1600 concerts and staged over 250 Gilbert and Sullivan productions and dozens of Broadway musicals. With fond memories, the group also performed a unique Christmas Show with a live Nativity scene, which, for many, started the Christmas season off, for 34 years.

As a wife, mother and friend, she was an adored, respected and loved friend and mentor. Her wishes were to see her family happy and successfully into the future with much love, faith and happiness, to which she very much succeeded. Her gifts of wisdom were many. Ellie’s favorite activities included taking cruises with her family, cooking, baking dozens of cookies at Christmas, gardening, boating, entertaining for parties of 150+, horses and riding, crocheting, knitting and crewel work, home improvements/building additions, reading, sending political and humorous emails and working on the computer, swimming with her friends at the YMCA, kibitzing with friends over Sunday coffee and loving all the family animals (of which there were over 18). She would also love everyone to know that she was an AVID fan of UConn men’s and woman’s basketball … Let’s Go Huskies!

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Ellie is survived by her son: Christopher C. and wife Eileen M. Pope of Charlotte, North Carolina; and son: Jonathan A. and wife Jennifer N. Pope of Sandy Hook, Connecticut, along with four adoring grandchildren, Christopher Charles, Jr., Michael Russell, Devon Joseph Charles, and Lauren Whitney. Her cats Coffee and Tea will also miss her warmth and friendship.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, January 26 at 11:00 a.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 18 Clapboard Ridge Road, Danbury, CT. The family will be greeting friends prior to the service starting at 10:30.

In lieu of flowers, Ellie wished for donations to be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church’s DGD fund.

Obituary provided by Bethel Funeral Home.


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