Ellen Regan

On Saturday, October 26, 2024, ELLEN (Ellie) REGAN of Alexandria, Virginia, after a two-year battle, died from a rare form of liver cancer known as cholangiocarcinoma. Ellie was the beloved wife of Peter Garafola for 36 years, and sister of Kathy Staggs of Walkerville NC, Susan Regan of Gainesville VA, Annie Regan-Phillips of Tucson AZ, and Mary McMahon of Manassas VA. Ellie was born in Munich Germany on January 28, 1955, and lived there for nearly 18 years before moving to the United States in 1972. She spoke German and had a lifelong love for that country and its culture.

Ellie graduated from McLean High School in 1973, and attended Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, graduating with a B.A. in History in 1977. While at Mary Washington, Ellie became the first Virginia state female frisbee champion. After college, she started her career working at Dart Drug, where she first gained experience in Information Technology. She subsequently went to work for PRC in McLean Virginia, where she worked on a variety of computer automation projects. She was most proud of her work on systems for the printing of US passports, digitizing patents for the US Patent Office, and automating the storage and identification of fingerprints for the FBI.

Ellie was a passionate traveler and collector of antiques and memorabilia. For many years, she shared an antique sales business with her sister-in-law, Susan Stamm. Ellie and Peter moved to Alexandria in 2000. She was well known in the Del Ray neighborhood for her activities volunteering at the Farmer's Market, buying and selling antiques, and working at the Dairy Godmother when it first opened as the Del Ray Dreamery. She was a dedicated wife, sister, and aunt, and will be remembered for her wonderful sense of humor and infectious laugh, and her positive outlook on life. She took joy in everyone she met and was always ready with a smile and an encouraging word.

A celebration of Ellie's life will be scheduled for the near future in Alexandria. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution to the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, https://cholangiocarcinoma.org, to the Goodwin House Hospice Care Fund, https://goodwinliving.org/giving/donation-form-hospice/, or the Alzheimer's Association, http://www.alz.org/.