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Eleanor Read Obituary
Eleanor Jeanne
Eleanor Jeanne (Ellie) Read, age 56, passed away Monday, October 24, 2016, with her family surrounding her.
Ellie was a member of
Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church, where she was instrumental in helping to set up the church library.
Ellie grew up in Toledo, OH and graduated from Miami University with an undergraduate degree in Math and a graduate degree in Statistics. After a long career as a statistician at the EPA in Cincinnati and at ORNL in Oak Ridge, Ellie returned to school at the University of Tennessee where she earned a Master's Degree in Information Sciences. She then worked for many years as a librarian at the University of Tennessee Libraries,
attaining the rank of Professor shortly before retiring.
Ellie was known for her sense of humor, her generous spirit, and her love of animals. The grace and courage she showed while fighting the dementia that took her life was inspiring to all.
Ellie is preceded in death by her father, George E. Read. She is survived by her husband, Craig Smith; mother Fredrica Skidmore Read; siblings, Peggy Read Jaynes (Robert), Marian Read (Pam Baum), Nancy Read, and Jim Read; father-in-law Robert Smith (Rosemary); sisters-in-law Stacy Nation (Gary), Kelly Wood (Ed), Laurie Brace (Jay), and Bethany Murphy; brother-in-law Todd Smith (Kelly); and her beloved cat Buddy.
The family will receive friends 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Saturday, November 5, 2016, at Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church, with the service to follow in the chapel. Dr. Holton Siegling and The Rev. Rachel Hamburger officiating. The family asks that
memorials, in lieu of flowers, be sent to the Knoxville Zoo or to a charity of their choice.
As published in The Blade
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Memories and Condolences
for Eleanor Read
Alison Specht
December 31, 2019
This seems a long time after Ellie passed away, but I have a little excuse, in that I got to know her through half-yearly visits to DataONE meetings from my residence in Australia or France. There were changes in group membership which meant I did not think more than she had stepped away voluntarily.
I remember Eleanor well as a gentle and kind person, with a keen intelligence and deep understanding of her profession. Her passing is a loss to it, and to those, like me, who knew her only briefly but remember her fondly. My sincere condolences to her family.
Ray Smith
January 11, 2019
Condolences to the family. I had the pleasure of working with Ellie at the K-25 site. Our slowpitch softball team, Random Errors (which she named),won our division. R.I.P. Ellie
Kerry Powell
November 2, 2016
May the comfort of God help you through this difficult time and may there be comfort in knowing that someone so special will never be forgotten.
My condolences and prayers go out to the family as I remember Ellie and her friendship during our high school days in Toledo. God Bless.
Kerry Powell
Lee Roy & Patti McMahan
November 2, 2016
Lee Roy and I are so sorry to hear about Ellie. We lived across the street from her on Halifax and she was a wonderful neighbor. Our thoughts and prayers are with your family.
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Paula Cleveland
November 2, 2016
Safe travels Ellie .
You are missed .
Vicki Schottelkotte
November 2, 2016
Ellie and I joined Western Tennis Club around the same time. We were put on the same interclub team and became doubles partners. I played forehand, Ellie played backhand. We had a good run while she lived in Cincinnati. We became good friends. I dedicated Sunday's win in her remembrance. She will be missed.
Gerri Littlejohn
November 2, 2016
I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I knew Ellie when she was a graduate student in the UTK-SIS program. Ellie was such a wonderful caring person and an excellent student. Ellie will truly be missed.
Carla
November 1, 2016
I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. May your memories comfort your heart; and God help the family during this time of sorrow. Isa.41:13
Beverly Martin
November 1, 2016
I am so sorry for the loss of this wonderful lady. Ellie played tennis for me at Rogers High School and was also a student in my class.She was always ready to listen and learn and was a leader on the team. Her family also lived in our neighborhood, and her Dad, George was my husband's (Ron) financial advisor. I've always told others that next to my family, the girls I coached and taught were my greatest joy. Ellie was certainly at the top of this list. May her family and friends keep and cherish her memory. Bev Martin Holland, OH
A A
November 1, 2016
May the God of all comfort, comfort your family during this time of bereavement. 2 Corinthains 1: 3,4.
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