Rosemary Lynn Ellis, 61, died peacefully at UVA Medical Center Friday, April 12 surrounded with the love of her family after a three-year struggle with Long Covid and an undiagnosable lung disease.
She was preceded in death by her parents Howard “Sonny” Ellis and Sarah Jean Ellis. Rosemary lived in many places, including Delaware, Japan, Idaho, New Mexico, Utah, West Virginia and spent the last 20 years of her life in and around Blacksburg. Rosemary graduated with a BA in sociology from Concord University and obtained two Masters degrees, one in Counseling and Human Development from Radford University and the other in Sociology from Virginia Tech. She dedicated the last 11 years of her master’s helping children heal from trauma, giving them a safe space to be seen, heard and loved via her work at the Women’s Resource Center in Radford.
The things that Rosemary enjoyed the most included spending time with her wife, children, grandchildren and sisters, her work with children, making people laugh with her delightful sense of humor, and creating art, particularly pottery, and photography. She and her wife enjoyed playing racquetball, hiking, going to music festivals, playing double solitaire, just being together and watching TV, and going to the beach.
Rosemary is survived by her loving wife Melissa Howell, Rosemary’s two children Jordan (Justin) Klein and Devin (Ranae) Coon; her grandchildren Makya, Merrick, Mya’Lynn, Mayzie, Matylda and Quin; her sisters Lisa (Steve) Hart and Brenda (Marco) Walton and many nieces and nephews. She also leaves behind her much loved and adored child/dog Nika and her beloved Sisters in Sobriety. A Celebration of Life will be held later this summer in Blacksburg. In memory of Rosemary, please consider making a memorial donation to the Women’s Resource Center, P.O. Box 477, Radford, Va (https://www.wrcnrv.org/donate/).
