Obituary of Elinor M. Lavell

Elinor (Ellie) Lavell passed away early in the morning of Friday, November 16, 2018 at Robinson Terrace Nursing Home in Stamford.  She was born on April 23, 1927 in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan to her parents Charles R. and Pauline (Markham) Merritt, the second of their seven children.

 Her family homesteaded in Canada until 1935, at which time they returned to the United States and worked on farms at several locations in Upstate New York, finally purchasing land in Lima. 

A graduate of Brockport High School, she began her working career at Eastman Kodak, in Rochester, NY. Elinor married Norbert Voellinger in July of 1947.  They had two children, Christine (Voellinger) Hauser of Stamford, and Gerard Voellinger of Lovettsville, VA.  Later she married Gordon Lavell, who predeceased her.

Throughout her long life she enjoyed sewing, cooking and traveling.  During the 1970’s, Ellie broke ground in the business world as the first woman editor of a corporate newspaper.  Her career in corporate news, working for Xerox and General Dynamics, earned her recognition in Who’s Who of American Women.  Later she worked as an executive secretary at Rochester Institute of Technology and retired as Executive Assistant from the Strong Museum in Rochester.

Ellie moved to Stamford in 2005 to be closer to family. She was predeceased by her parents, Pauline and Charles and brothers Leo, Robert, Donald and James Merritt.  She is survived by her sister Jeanette (Merritt) Weller of Jefferson City, MO; brother Paul Merritt and his wife Elaine of Sun City, AZ; daughter Christine Hauser of Stamford; son Gerard Voellinger and his wife Denise, of Lovettsville, VA; grandchildren Hannah Hauser, Andy Hauser, Tamara (Voellinger) Kincaid and Josh Voellinger; many nieces and nephews; and her special friend and former husband Norbert Voellinger.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Sacred Heart Church in Stamford, on Saturday, December 1, at 11 a.m. with Father Michael Cambi celebrant.  Following Mass all are invited to a luncheon in the Parish hall.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to O’Connor Hospital in Delhi.

Please visit www.macarthurfh.com to share a condolence with the family.