FAY ELLIS

1936 - 2021

ELLIS Fay Eighme Ellis Of Annandale, VA, passed away peacefully on June 15, 2021. Her sons Ken and Chris were at her side. She was 84 years old. Fay was born in the summer of 1936 to the late Richard and Arlene Eighme in Little Valley, NY. She was raised there with her brother Dean. She graduated, Valedictorian from Little Valley Central High School in 1956 and went on to attend Alfred State College. After graduating from Alfred, she moved to Rochester, NY where she studied and worked at the Simon School at the University of Rochester, completing her bachelor's degree. She was a Renaissance woman, and her intellect knew no bounds as she continued to complete the NY Times crossword puzzle daily as she ate breakfast until her final days. Fay married her high school sweetheart, Howard, in the summer of 1958 and moved to Washington, DC. There, she began a government career with the US State Department. Their son Michael was born in Washington, DC in 1959 and Christopher in 1961. In 1963, their careers took the young family to Madrid, Spain. Son Kenneth was born in Spain in 1964. For the next twenty years they lived, worked at US Embassies and travelled around western Europe having residences in Madrid, Rome, Italy and The Hague, Netherlands. Fay moved back to Annandale, VA in the summer of 1982 and went on to another career with Winrock International in Washington, DC. She was a database analyst for this nonprofit organization which empowers the disadvantaged and strives to increase economic opportunities and sustain natural resources. Her career there lasted for over 30 years until she retired in 2019. Fay enjoyed living. Her warmth, compassion and nonjudgmental attitude were the heart of her soul. Her passions included spending time with her family and most notably her grandchildren with whom she travelled internationally including China, Africa, the Galapagos Islands, Russia and domestically Hawaii, Chicago, the Grand Canyon and Utah Parks. She was passionate about the theatre and held season tickets at Signature Theatre in Arlington. She enjoyed yoga, swimming and water aerobics right up to her final days. She was an extremely active member in AA and sponsored many members over the years. Fay worked with various charities and was an active volunteer for political and social issues that she cared deeply about, one of the most recent being the Women's March on Washington where she proudly wore her cat's ears and marched on the plaza. Fay is survived by her sons Michael (Elizabeth), Christopher (Kimberly), Kenneth (Alice); and her grandchildren Quinn (and soon-to-be-husband Michael), Colin, Chloe and her ex-husband Howard, with whom she had continued to share a close relationship with. She is predeceased by her brother, Dean. She was an aunt to Sharon, Melanie and Rick. A Celebration of Life to honor Fay will be held on Friday, July 16, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Demaine Funeral Home, 5308 Backlick Road, Springfield, VA, 22151. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Independence Club of Springfield, Virginia. Please view and sign the family's online guestbook at www.DemaineFunerals.com