Marianne Ellingwood Obituary
Marianne (Thorpe) Ellingwood, 92, passed away peacefully with her loving children by her side on April 26, 2023. She was the wife of the late Robert W. Ellingwood Sr. They had been married for 65 years prior to his passing in 2017. Born in Providence, she was the daughter of the late Vincent and Lillian (Kelly) Thorpe and step daughter to the late Ted Sorrell.
Marianne was a gracious, kind, caring, and generous woman. She enjoyed spending time with her family, her "mermaid" friends at the YMCA, and relaxing at the beach and working in the garden. Her gardens were beautiful and a true labor of love. She also loved Block Island where she spent summers as a girl and met the love of her life, Robert Ellingwood. She nicknamed Bob "Captain Seaweed" and he called her his "First Mate.". The love she found on Block Island with Bob inspired an enduring attachment to the island that continues to this day through their children.
Throughout the years her generosity of spirit was seen through her work as a leader in the Girls Scouts, as a catechism teacher, and as a volunteer at St. Mary's Church where she made christening gowns and helped with an assortment of church fundraisers. She was also a member of the women's auxiliary at Kent County Hospital and was a long-time contributor to the Rhode Island Food Bank. During these same years she was a valued employee at Sears in the Rhode Island Mall until her retirement.
Marianne is survived by her loving children: Robert Ellingwood Jr. and his wife Cheryl; Jennifer Ellingwood and her husband Hal Gold; Pamela Ellingwood McNulty; and Amy Gusetti and her husband Russell. Her oldest daughter Beth Ellingwood passed away in 2002. She was the loving and devoted grandmother of Lindsay Richards and her husband Roger, Ashley Willette and her husband Brian, Alyssa Ellingwood, Sarah Gold, and Samuel Thorpe McNulty. She was the great grandmother of Natalie Richards, Derek Richards, Nathanael Willette, Wesley Willette, and Mason Freeman. She was the sister of Suzanne Sankow, the late Carole Ritzinger and Sheila Brown.
Relatives and friends are invited to a Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, May 5, 2023, at 10 a.m. at St. Mary's Church, 70 Church Street, West Warwick. Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Marianne's name to the Rhode Island Food Bank, 200 Niantic Ave, Providence, RI 02907.
