Janet Stewart Ellis

Age 95, daughter of Frances Hadden, sister of the late William Stewart and wife of the late Gordon Ellis passed away peacefully on February 6, 2023. She had lived in Wellesley, MA for sixty years before moving to Plymouth, MA, six years ago.

Born in Manhattan, NY on January 22, 1928, she spent her childhood in Cold Spring Harbor, NY and New York City. A graduate of St. Timothy’s School in Maryland, Janet went on to graduate from Radcliffe College with a major in art history. After college, Janet went to work for Simon and Schuster in New York City.

On October 11, 1952, Janet married Gordon Ellis. The couple met during their college years when Janet attended Radcliffe College and Gordon attended Harvard University. Following their marriage, they lived in New Haven, CT and Newton, MA before settling in Wellesley, MA. Over the ensuing decade Janet stayed busy as the mother of four children and began her years of active participation in numerous school activities. She was an avid tennis player and spent many years playing with her family and friends as a member of the Wellesley Tennis Association.

Janet was an active member of the St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church community in Wellesley, MA for decades and served in many capacities including as a member of the Altar Guild and a Lay Eucharistic Minister.

Janet also worked in the Wellesley Public School system for years, first as a Health Office aide in the Wellesley Junior High School and later in the school system’s front office with wide ranging responsibilities including management of the school bus system. After years of working in Wellesley, she spent ten years as the Executive Assistant to the Dean of Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, MA.

Janet was pre-deceased by her beloved husband of sixty one years, Gordon Ellis of Wellesley, MA. She is survived by sons, David Ellis and his wife Paula of West Newton, MA, Geoffrey Ellis and his wife Patricia of Dedham, MA, Andrew Ellis and his wife Susan of Ipswich, MA; daughter, Susan (Ellis) Withington and her husband Mark of Plymouth, MA; nine grandchildren, Laura, Meaghan, Spencer, Peter, Julia, Sam, Cameron, Connor and Hadley and one great grandchild, Henry. Her children and grandchildren were a source of immense pride and her love and dedication to them was evident every day.

A Funeral Service to celebrate her life will be held at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 79 Denton Road, Wellesley, MA, on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, at 10 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Janet may be made to the Senior Behavioral Health Unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Plymouth by visiting http://giving.bilh.org/bidp or by check made payable to “Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Plymouth” with “Janet Ellis/SBHU” in the memo line. Contributions can be mailed to: BID-Plymouth Office of Philanthropy, 275 Sandwich St., Plymouth, MA 02360.