Mary Ellen Woelfel

Mary Ellen was preceded in death by her beloved husband and true love, John S. Woelfel; her parents, George and Lorraine Robertson; her brother, Sean Robertson; and her sister, Jannelle Robertson.

She is survived by her bonus children: Laura (Casey) Lineberry of Crane Hill, Alabama; John (Jennifer) Woelfel of Tuscaloosa, Alabama; and Debbie (Kenneth) Crownover of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She is also survived by her brothers, James (Karen) Robertson and George (Diane) Robertson of North Andover, Massachusetts; and her sisters, Myra (Gary) Chaloult of Oakland, Maine, and Ann (Michael) Long of Rome, Maine.

Mary Ellen was blessed with five grandchildren: Drew Madison, Jennifer (Stephen) Salinas, Jessica (Neal) Phifer, Cade Woelfel, and Cara (Austin) Panno, along with six great-grandchildren, all of whom lovingly called her “Meme.” She was also a proud godmother to her nephews, Scott (Shannon) Robertson of Plaistow, New Hampshire and Justin (Yineska) Robertson of Winchester, Massachusetts. She will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by her many nieces, nephews, cousins and their families.

Mary Ellen attended the Chandler School for Women in Boston before beginning her career as a flight attendant with National Airlines, later flying with Pan American Airlines during the “Golden Age” of air travel. After retiring, she and her husband, John, owned and cared for a horse farm in Ocala, Florida. One of Mary Ellen’s proudest moments was watching her prize-winning mare, Gorgeous Goose, beat the odds to win the Wilshire Handicap in 2009.

Her love for travel, sailing, and adventure carried her to destinations around the world. Mary Ellen found beauty in every chapter of her life. She will be remembered for her deep devotion to family and friends, her compassion for animals, her generosity of spirit, and her unwaveringly positive outlook. She will be dearly missed but never forgotten. May she rest in eternal peace, knowing she was deeply loved and admired by all who knew her.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff and caregivers at Morning Pointe of Tuscaloosa for their kindness and care.

A private family service will be held to honor Mary Ellen’s life. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund at www.curealz.org