Ellen Merwine Weatherly

Ellen Merwine Weatherly passed away at her home on November 17, 2015. Ellen Irene was born on June 29, 1928 to Leah and Norman Merwine in Westerville, Ohio as the youngest of four children. In her youth she built a strong faith while attending the United Brethren Church and a strong work ethic with a variety of part time jobs from the mundane (filing clerk at the Hance Tool company) to the adventuresome (summer housekeeper at a resort in the Adirondacks). She graduated from Westerville High in 1947 and began commuting into Columbus to attend the Ohio State University. While there she met a dashing young physicist. In 1952 she graduated with a BA degree and moved to Cincinnati to take a position as a high school Art Teacher. This career was short lived as the young physicist came calling. She was married to Thomas Levi Weatherly in 1953 and swept off to Atlanta. She started a family in 1954 with the birth of Suzanne Ellen, soon to be followed by Linda Ruth in 1956 and several years later by Thomas Lancaster in 1961. While raising her family, she supported her children's community in a variety of ways: teaching backyard summer art lessons, serving as a Brownie Scout leader, and as a School Library volunteer at R. L. Hope. At the same time she was active with her peers as a member of the Ga Tech Faculty Womens Club, United Methodist Women's Circle, and the Birdhaven Garden Club. She channeled her artistic bent into silk-screening beautiful Christmas cards and sewing fashionable outfits for herself and her daughters. Just as her nest had emptied in 1982, she lost her dashing physicist to cancer. She pressed on and soon found herself a willing babysitter for 6 grandchildren while continuing her volunteer spirit at the VA Hospital and the Thriftique Thrift Shop. Throughout her life she found joy in her quiet moments: gardening, quilting, composing poems and enjoying nature, always cherishing her Ohio roots and keeping her love for her family close to her heart. In addition to her children, she is survived by their spouses: Jim Barksdale (Suzanne), Walter Shoyer (Linda), and Yvette Weatherly (Tom); and her grandchildren, Lisa and William Barksdale, Michael and Forrest Shroyer (spouse, Laura McMeel), and Ann Weatherly Scott (spouse, Denecio) and Austin Weatherly. A service celebrating Ellen’s life will be held at Patterson’s Oglethorpe on Saturday 11/21 at 2PM, with visitation at 1PM and a reception after the service. Donations may be made in her name to the TL Weatherly Scholarship Fund, checks payable to GT Foundation, mailed to GT School of Physics, 837 State Street, Atlanta, GA 30332-0430, attn: Darryl Warsham, or the United Methodist Children's Home, 500 S. Columbia Drive, Decatur, GA 30030.