Ellen Marie Ireland

Ellen was born on July 21, 1925. She was born prematurely at home on Seminole Street in Detroit. According to family lore, Ellen was keep in a shoe box on the wood stove to keep her warm and was so tiny she was carried around on a pillow. Her parents were Hattie and Herbert Priehs. Ellen was raised in Detroit and graduated from Eastern High School in June 1943. Ellen was a cheerleader in high school. This began her love of sports, especially baseball and hockey.

     Ellen was raised with three siblings (older brother Richard ,sister Ruth and younger brother Robert). She was very close to her sister Ruth. Ellen was Ruth's maid of honor and Ruth was Ellen's matron of honor. On January 26, 1946 Ellen exchanged wedding vows with Paul Edward Ireland at the Salem's Luthern Church on Iroquois and Forest in Detroit, Michigan. While growing up, one of her best friends was Patricia Waldmeir with whom she maintained a lifelong friendship. Pat stood up in her wedding and was there for Ellen and Paul's 50th Wedding anniversary clelebration. Paul and Ellen celebrated 60 years of marriage together until Paul's death on May 14, 2006. Pat was also able to attend Ellen's 90th birthday party. 

    Ellen was blessed with three sons, Lance Michael 1947, Mark Edward 1949 and Patrick Paul 1950. Ellen was ever watchful of her children. She worried about them and was deeply concerned for their development as they grew up. Her primary occupation was house wife and mother. She was employed part-time for Michigan National Bank as a clerk. She was also blessed with eight grandchildren - Shannon 1970, Michelle 1972, Blaine 1974, Shawn 1977, Brian 1977, Meghan 1980, Kerry 1982 and Jessica 1985.

      Paul and Ellen lived in St Clair Shores, Michigan for many years before retiring to Florida in 1976. In Florida, they first lived in Naples then moved to Palm Harbor. They moved back to Michigan in 1986 to Hart on Michigan's west coast. From there, they moved to Snover, located in Michigan's thumb. Ellen's last years were spent in Clinton Twp, Michigan and Sterling Heights, Michigan. Favorite vacations included Arizona, California , Colorado, and Hawaii. Throughout the many places she has lived, Ellen always made fast friends, and those friendships all stood the test of time and distance. Her favorite pastimes were Tiger Baseball and Red Wing Hockey.

      Ellen passed away at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital on December 1, 2015. She is survived by her three sons, two daughters-in-laws, many nephews and neices, eight grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren with one on the way. Services were held at Resurrection Funeral Home. Ellen and Paul choose to be cremated. Their ashes will be placed in the memorial wall at Great Lakes Cemetery this summer.

      All who knew her would agree that Ellen lived her life with her feet firmly on the ground. One of Ellen’s most endearing qualities was her ability to remember important dates and anniversaries, and her unending enthusiasm for celebrations with her family and friends. Linda Benkert, a neice, wrote that she will greatly miss her phone calls to Aunt Ellen, as she always listened and offered practical advice. Ellen Marie Ireland did her best to ensure that her family, friends, loved ones, and everyone whose life she touched was given the chance to become a better person. Ellen touched many with her friendship, humor and love.