Donald E. Ellis, 92, a longtime resident of Framingham, passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 9, 2024 after a period of declining health. He was surrounded by family while holding his eldest granddaughter’s hand, in the home he lived at for 56 years. Born in Buffalo, NY, he was the son of the late Donald N. & Evelyn (Cassel) Ellis and the beloved husband and soulmate of the late Delores “Dee” (Carl) Ellis for 57 wonderful years.
Don was a 1950 graduate of Kensington High School and earned his associate degree at State University of NY in 1952. He was drafted into the Army that same year where he served his country honorably until 1954 and was the recipient of the National Defense Service Medal. He continued serving in the reserves until 1960, during which time he also earned his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in 1958 from the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Don’s work life began at Sylvania Corporation in Buffalo, NY right out of college and he relocated to the Boston area to join Raytheon as an electrical engineer in 1962. He enjoyed a 33 year career there until his retirement in 1995, during which time he advanced through various positions from principal engineer to development to engineering and program management. Don not only had a successful career, but also developed lifelong friendships during his time at Raytheon.
Don met the love of his life Dee in Buffalo through friends, although he didn’t realize it at the time. They were reunited by chance years later at Boston University where Dee was taking classes. Their first date was the following day which included a walk at Walden Pond and dinner at Ken’s Steak House. They were married in 1966, and moved into their home in Framingham in 1968 where they lived throughout their entire marriage. They were inseparable until Dee’s passing in December, 2023 and their grandchildren often referred to them as “bookends,” one never being without the other. Theirs was a true love story.
As a child, Don loved playing “sandlot” baseball with his buddies after school. He was an avid Buffalo and New England sports fan, and for a time in his younger years held season tickets to the Patriots. He enjoyed golfing and playing tennis and played in many Raytheon tennis leagues with his colleagues over the years. As a young adult, Don loved organizing camping and ski trips with his friends that included skiing at Canon and Killington mountains, conquering the Swiss and Italian Alps, as well as trips with friends to Lake Ontario. Annual summer vacations to Cordova Lake with his parents and siblings were a highlight while growing up-a tradition he continued with his own family every summer. After his children had families of their own, it warmed his heart that this special tradition continued on. After his retirement, he and Dee also enjoyed winters in Siesta Key/Sarasota Florida and relished when family came to visit. Don demonstrated his love and patience for Dee by indulging in Dee’s passion for antiquing, traveling all over New England and up to Canada in search of hidden treasures for her business. They also shared a love of music and would often take in a concert at Tanglewood and had season tickets for many years to the Boston Symphony.
Later in life, Don’s passions revolved around his love for his four grandchildren – taking them to the library, swimming lessons, the zoo and providing childcare for several years. Don also loved attending all of their activities from hockey games and tennis matches to school talent shows and plays.
For Don, there was nothing more important than family and he would always comment on how lucky he was to have had his family so close by to be able to spend time with them. Don is survived by his children, Diane Burke & her husband Tim, Robert & his wife Cory, his grandchildren Kiera and Kylie Burke and Brayden and Gavin, and his sister, Beverly Klepp. Besides his parents and his beloved wife, Don was predeceased by his eldest sister, Marjory Bentinck-Smith.
Family and friends will honor and remember Don’s life by gathering for visiting hours in the McCarthy, McKinney & Lawler Funeral Home, 11 Lincoln St. Framingham on Monday, November 18th from 4-7PM. His funeral service will be celebrated in the funeral home on Tuesday morning at 10:30AM. Interment with military honors will follow in Edgell Grove Cemetery, Framingham.
To share a memory with the Ellis family, kindly visit www.mccarthyfh.com
Chesmore Funeral Home