Ellen Patnode

Ellen was born Nov. 23, 1951, in Saranac Lake, the daughter and youngest child of Edgar F. and Eileen (Kennedy) Patnode.

Ellen graduated from Pius X Central High School in Saranac Lake, Class of 1969, and attended State University of New York at Albany, receiving degrees Bachelor of Science in 1973 and Master of Science in 1978.

Ellen’s professional career spanned many disciplines, and she received numerous commendations for her contributions and skills. She taught at Hermon-DeKalb Central School District, Adirondack Educational Center in Saranac Lake and Clinton Community College in Plattsburgh, and she was a technical writer for General Electric in Burlington, Vermont. Most recently she had moved to the Washington, D.C., area and worked for Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman as a systems analyst.

Throughout her life she enjoyed traveling to the far reaches of the world, always holding a special place in her heart for Ireland, owing to her 58% Irish genetics, as well as her own birthplace, Saranac Lake, and the Adirondack Mountains.

Ellen is survived by her brother Paul Patnode of Saranac Lake and leaves to cherish her loving memory her goddaughter Kate Howard of Troy, a host of dear friends and her beloved European Burmese cat, Kelly.

Memorial donations may be made to Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA) of Loudoun County (www.foha.org) or the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org).