Ellen L. Stapleton

Ellen Lauretta Lenihan was born in Barberton, Ohio October 8, 1926. The middle child of Mike and Eve Lenihan, raised during the Great Depression and WWII, she graduated Valedictorian of her Barberton high school class.

At age 19, along with her older sister Mary, Ellen joined the nursing corps to care for the soldiers returning from war.

She met Frank Stapleton, the two married and over the next fourteen years had eight children-- Mary Ellen, Michael, Susan, Karen, Timothy, John, Peter, and Paul.

They crossed the country from Coral Gables, Florida, to Walnut Creek, California to Tampa and finally settled in Atlanta in the early 60s.

Frank passed away in a tragic car accident in 1966, leaving Ellen to raise eight children under the age of fourteen.

Ellen went back to college earning her Master degree to became an elementary school teacher, spending the next 21 years teaching in Dekalb County elementary schools. A devout Catholic and a talented pianist, Ellen played the organ and piano at Immaculate Heart of Mary and All Saints Catholic Churches for many years.

Ellen loved the Catholic hymn Be Not Afraid.

If you pass through raging waters in the sea, you shall not drown.

If you walk amid the burning flames, you shall not be harmed.

If you stand before the power of hell and death is at your side, know that

I am with you through it all.

Be not afraid.

I go before you always.

Come follow me, and

I will give you rest.

She played the song countless times, but lived it through example for 94 years.

After retirement, Ellen loved spending time with her two sisters, Mary and Gerry. She traveled to Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Australia, New Zealand and many other international destinations. She rarely missed her annual trip to Hilton Head.

She became a grandma for the first time at forty-seven. Over the next four and half decades, she had twenty grandchildren and twenty-two great grandchildren. She developed deep and unique relationships with each of her grandchildren.

Her twenty grandchildren include Jim, Casey, Kelly, Kaitlin, PJ, Sara, Tommy, Mary Ellen, Ricky, Frank, Mary Beth, Timmy, AnneClaire, Regan, Cameron, Madison, Alex, Ava, Sabrina, and Johnathan

Her twenty-two great-grandchildren include: Nolin, Mary Caroline, Adele, Charlotte, Jackson, Claire, Sutton, Parker, Wells, Marley, Lyla, Francis Malloy, Laura Josephine, Scarlett, Hazel, Thomas, Trace, Mia, Chloe, Jaythan, Lyons, and Eleanor Jane.

In addition to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, she is survived by her sister Gerri Cuppett, nieces Dina Ross, Sharon Cuppett, Mary Pat Stromme, Robbie Hurd, and nephews Bobby Lenihan, and David & John Cuppett. Son in-laws Jimmy (Mary Ellen) Harris and Vance (Karen) Hammock. Daughter-in-laws Debbie (Michael) Stapleton, Janie (Timothy) Stapleton, and Brandy (Paul) Stapleton.

Her late son, Michael Stapleton, passed away on July 25, 2020 of glioblastoma. The family takes solace knowing he met her at the gates of heaven.

Ellen Stapleton passed away peacefully in her sleep on November 8, 2020 surrounded by family in Pensacola, FL. Her legacy lives on through her family.

A funeral mass is scheduled for December 7th at 11 am at All Saints Catholic Church in Dunwoody, Georgia.

Her final resting will be at Marietta National Cemetery with her husband Frank Stapleton.

In lieu of flowers or donations, please consider supporting the “Chief Michael Stapleton Scholarship” through the University of North Georgia Foundation. https://rb.gy/0kwmc5