May 12, 1926 – December 15, 2022
Fresno, California – Ellen peacefully passed away at her home with her children at her side on December 15, 2020. Ellen was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Donn B. Beedle.
At ninety-six years of age, she had a long and active life with her husband raising four children which included her active participation in their school activities. Once the children could take care of themselves, Ellen pursued a business career which included working as a real estate agent for several realty firms and later working as a real estate loan officer with the Bank of Tokyo—now Union Bank. She said she always enjoyed helping people purchase a home or secure a loan to start or expand a business.
Ellen’s success in life came from the examples set by her immigrant parents –Pasquale and Florence Grosso. Her parents along with her oldest sister (Julie Blair) came to the United States from Bisceglie, Italy in order to escape the regime of Benito Mussolini. After spending a short time on the east coast of the United States, the small family moved to Fresno at the urging of a cousin. Fresno’s climate and the agricultural crops grown in the area were similar to the crops grown around Bisceglie. Ellen’s father, within a relatively short time purchased land in the Fresno area and started growing mostly olive trees.
Ellen was born in Fresno and as a child, she helped her father with the olives and traveled with him in his truck to sell the produce to San Francisco markets. A few years after Ellen was born, her younger sister Edith Grosso was born and the family resided in a home that Pasquale built near the intersection of Kearney Boulevard and Fresno Street. Ellen graduated from Fresno High in 1943 and around this time she met a young airman stationed at Hammer Field. Ellen and her future husband Donn soon became engaged and were married the following year, after which they spent over 60 years together.
In addition to her business endeavors noted above, Ellen found time to actively participate in a variety of cultural, religious and social activities. Early in her married life Ellen joined the Junior Parlor Lecture Club. Always active and creative, Ellen formed a gourmet club with three other couples calling themselves the Bon Vivants. For over 35 years, the club met at various members’ homes and restaurants to tryout unusual cuisines. Ellen and Donn were great theater and music buffs, enjoying season tickets to the Fresno Philharmonic and Good Company Players’ Second Space Theater. Ellen was also a member of St. Theresa and later, St. Anthony Catholic church and was active in the non-denominational Bible Fellowship Study Group. After she retired, Ellen and Donn were also able travel to different countries including the Italian town where Ellen’s parents were from. However Ellen’s most enjoyable moments were the visits from her children and grandchildren and she greatly loved hearing about the day to day activities of her great grandchildren.
Ellen is preceded in death by her above mentioned parents, Donn Beedle her husband, Julie Blair her eldest sister and is survived by her sister; Edith Grosso and Ellen’s children: Donn Beedle Jr, Timothy Beedle and wife, Judy Beedle; Melissa Haning and husband Evan Haning and Marc Beedle. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Carrie Barnes and her husband Alex Barnes, Timothy Beedle Jr. and his wife Christina Beedle, Garrison Haning and his wife Shae Haning, Amber Haning and her partner Payton Hedrick, Tiffiny Schrandt and her husband Whitney Schrandt and the following great grandchildren: Dylan Thur, Ella Schrandt, Ashton Schrandt, Ryder Barnes and the newest, Matilda Hedrick.
The family wishes to especially thank her devoted caregiver of 11 years, Karen Tucker.
Visitation will be held at the Whitehurst Sullivan and Burns & Blair Funeral Home on Thursday, January 12th from 4 pm to 6 pm and a rosary will follow for family members. Funeral service will be held at the funeral home’s chapel the following day on Friday, January 13th at 10 am. The Funeral Home is located at 836 E. Nees Avenue, just east of First Street, Fresno. Internment at the Belmont Memorial Park will follow the funeral service.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Ellen’s name be made to the following: St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Fresno Poverello House or the Central California SPCA (CCSPCA).
A visitation for Ellen will be held Thursday, January 12, 2023 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Whitehurst Sullivan Burns & Blair Funeral Home, 836 E. Nees Ave., Fresno, CA 93720. A recitation of the holy rosary will occur Thursday, January 12, 2023 from 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM, 836 E. Nees Ave., Fresno, CA 93720. A funeral service will occur Friday, January 13, 2023 at 10:00 AM. A graveside service will occur Friday, January 13, 2023.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.whitehurstsullivan.com for the Beedle family.
