Ellen Jane Gilroy, 88, of Union City, passed away Sunday, September 15, 2019 at Glenn Arbor Hospice Residence
in Battle Creek following a lengthy illness.
There will be no public memorial
service.
Ellen
was born on May 27, 1931 in Battle Creek to Earl and Lucile (Kemmerling)
Reynolds. She grew up in Battle Creek and graduated from Lakeview High School
in 1949. She was married to Fred Shaw and was a homemaker, but their union
ended in divorce.
Ellen resided at Lee Lake following her first marriage and
was employed for five years as a unit clerk at the former Leila Hospital in
Battle Creek during the early 1970s.
In 1976 she married Galard “Eugene”
Gilroy, who preceded her in death. Ellen moved to Baggs, WY with her husband,
living there for 26 years before moving in 2008 to Texas, where she had wintered
for several years. In 2015 she returned to Michigan.
Ellen
truly loved her family and was so proud to be a great-great grandma to four
special kids. Her daughters felt especially blessed to have Ellen for a mother,
as she encouraged them to “do things” with their lives, including traveling and
seeing the world.
Ellen’s family will miss her greatly. They are grateful for
the many thoughts and prayers they received from special friends and extended
family.
Survivors
include Ellen’s daughter, Lona (Francis) Eraca of Union City; a step-daughter,
Debbie (Jose) Alvarez of Colorado; grandchildren Kelli (Jeremy Mattinson) Case,
Mike (Tami) Eraca, William “Bill” Eraca and Emily Hope Eraca; five
great-grandchildren Taylor Case, Kyler (Shamayne Weber) Case, Kyle Eraca,
Karson Eraca and Hailey Eraca; and four great-great grandchildren, Hunter Case,
Everly Case, Brendalynn Case and Mayvis Case.
In
addition to her husband, Galard “Eugene” Gilroy, Ellen was preceded in death by
a daughter, Connie Harrington; and grandsons, Francis Eraca, Jr., age 14 months,
and Dale Case.
Memorial
donations are suggested to Glenn Arbor Hospice, 5470 Glenn Arbor Cross Road,
Battle Creek, MI 49015 or to the National Kidney Foundation, 30 East 33
rd
Street, New York, NY 10016.
Please
visit
www.lighthousefuneral.com
to share memories, pictures and videos with the family.
