Susan Ferguson-Ellia

OXFORD - Susan Ferguson-Ellia, 65, of Old Webster Road, died Thursday, December 3, 2009, at UMass Memorial Medical Center - University Campus, after a short illness. She is survived by her husband of 42 years, Robert J. Ellia of Oxford; three children, Khurston S. Ellia-Epple and her husband Chris Epple of Worcester, Erin G. Ellia and her husband John P. Conroy of Weymouth; and Sean F. Ellia and his wife Laura of South Hadley; a brother, William Ferguson of Springfield; a sister, Carolyn Schermerhorn of East Longmeadow; two grandchildren, Abigail Epple and Lily Ellia; and many nephews and nieces. She was born in Springfield, the daughter of the late Donald A. and Margaret (Griffin) Ferguson, and lived there and in Fitchburg before moving to Oxford in 1971. She graduated from Springfield Classical High School, and earned her bachelors degree from Fitchburg State College in 1977, while also working full-time and raising three children. Mrs. Ferguson-Ellia taught in the Oxford Public Schools for over 20 years, where her students knew her simply as Mrs. Ellia. Before that, she worked for several newspapers, including the Chicopee office of the Wall Street Journal. In her youth she was active with the Girl Scouts as a troop leader and camp counselor, and when her kids were growing up she became very involved with the 4-H community. Since her retirement, in 2003, she spent much of her time at the log cabin she built with her husband in Shapleigh, ME, where she loved gardening, mastering new power tools, and just generally puttering around - always with her enormous black dog, Charlie, at her heels. A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, December 11, 2009, at St. Roch's Church, 332 Main St., Oxford. Burial will be private. There are no calling hours. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to Reading is Fundamental, ATTN: Development Dept., 1825 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20009-5726. or at www.rif.org. Paradis Funeral Home, 357 Main St., Oxford, is directing the arrangements.