Ellie Copley Pattison

Ellie Copley Pattison

West Sand Lake Ellie Copley Pattison left this earth on April 3^rd after a wonderful, full and productive life. She fought heroically to take full advantage of her last days and has peacefully moved on to her next great adventure. She was blessed in this passage by the support of her family, her friend and neighbor Barbara Lawrence, and her caregivers Carol and Steve Waters and Starr LeBlanc.

She leaves behind her many friends and beloved family. Her brother John Copley Jr., sister Martha Suchanek, son Mark Paine Pattison, and daughters Lynn Copley Pattison, Wendy Ashton Pattison, Laura Ball Pattison. Laura's partner Laura Catanzaro, daughter- in- law Laura Amos, son-in-law William Schroeder and her precious grandchildren Edward Amos Pattison, Mary Fitzpatrick Pattison, Jordan Pattison Schroeder and Anna Pattison Schroeder, also survived her.

Ellie was born in 1932 in Elmira, New York as the middle child of John and Harriet (Ball) Copley. She graduated from Elmira Free Academy and attended Cornell University. There she met and married her husband, former Congressman, Edward (Ned) Worthington Pattison. She later took courses at Russell Sage College and acquired her Masters Degree from Antioch New England College.

Ellie had many passions throughout her life. She was a tireless advocate for people with disabilities. She was elected as the President of the Board of the Rensselaer County Chapter, NYSARC. She later rose to take on the presidency of the statewide association. She was a longtime member of the Board of Visitors of the O.D. Heck Developmental Center. She received numerous awards for her lifetime of work and remained active and on the board of the local chapter up to her death. Ellie was a charter member, board member, chair or volunteer for countless other organizations all whose missions are to provide dignity and support to vulnerable people in the community. The Uncle Sam Parade Committee named her Citizen of the Year in 1994.

Ellie was a constant advocate for the arts and historic preservation. She was an early founder of the Rensselaer County Council of the Arts (The Arts Center). She was instrumental in the formation of the modern Troy Savings Bank Music Hall Board. She was a founding member of the Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway. She again remained active and passionate in promoting these causes literally until the day of her death.

Ellie expressed her love of life and commitment to nurture a better world in daily and personal ways, patronizing local stores and businesses, and creating beauty through lovely gardens and her gold-leaf stencil work. She spent her childhood summers at Seneca Lake and won may sailboat races with her father and friends.

While she received many accolades and awards for her work, she always said she received as much as she gave and valued most her love and support for her family, her friends and her community. The world will be a little quieter without her voice, but better for having heard it.

A Memorial Service will be held to celebrate Ellie's life on Saturday, April 12^th , at the Bush Memorial Center on the Russell Sage Campus , First and Congress Streets, Troy at 1:00pm. All are welcome.

Interment will occur, at a later date, in Oakwood Cemetery Troy.

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Rensselaer County Chapter ARC at 415 River St. in Troy or to The Arts Center at 265 River St., Troy 12180.

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