Katherine Ellen Musselman

Katherine Ellen Vallis Lormer Musselman passed away on Monday, March 11, 2024 at the age of 96 in Vero Beach, Florida. Ellen was born in Bermuda on September 30, 1927 to Boyd and Katherine Vallis. She grew up during the war years in Bermuda and loved swimming and running on the rocks of the North Shore with her cousins and friends. She graduated from Mount Saint Agnes Academy with a commercial certificate. Ellen started her career working as a secretary at Triminghams in Bermuda and soon after moved to work in New York. While visiting a friend in Ohio, she met Bob Lormer and after a whirlwind courtship the couple were engaged back in New York in Central Park. A Thanksgiving holiday wedding followed in Bermuda in 1950. Ellen and Bob settled in Ohio. During the Korean conflict, while Bob was stationed in El Paso, Texas their son Eddie was born. After moving back to Ohio, Jim, Sue and Lee soon followed. In the summer of 1962, the Lormer family moved to Bermuda. Ellen worked at Triminghams gift shop before taking a job as the principal's secretary at Mount Saint Agnes Academy. Sadly, her eldest son Eddie passed away in 1967 and her husband, Bob in 1969.

Ellen married John Musselman in 1971 and the family moved to Massachusetts. After many good years in Duxbury and Sandwich, Massachusetts, Ellen and John became snowbirds in Vero Beach, Florida before settling full time in the early 1990's.

Ellen and John traveled extensively going on trips through much of the United States and most of the continents. Their trips included the Great Wall of China, Greece, Italy and Egypt, England, a transatlantic cruise to Australia and an Eastern European river cruise.John driving while sightseeing in the Rockies was certainly an experience Ellen never forgot! After moving to Indian River Estates in Vero Beach, Ellen was often thought to be a newcomer by other residents as she was constantly on the move. Although her world travels slowed down after John's passing in 2002, regular trips to Bermuda and Massachusetts continued. And weddings, wherever they were, found her celebrating.

Ellen rarely met someone that did not become a friend. Her children grew up with a great group of her forever friends, their ‘aunties’. They were a lifelong group of ladies you could always count on! Ellen was the glue that held a disparate group of family and friends that were family together. Her get-togethers and potlucks, especially her annual pea soup and bloody mary brunch on New Year's Day, were legendary. She could put meals together out of nothing at a moment's notice. And if you were trying to find her at any social occasion, all you had to do was wait for her to laugh and she could be found! Ellen taught the importance of thank you notes. She was a letter writer and her correspondence went worldwide. Email and Facebook were a Godsend in later years. She always kept in touch!

Ellen leaves behind her children, James Lormer and his wife, Carol from Middleboro, MA, her daughter, Susan Vafiades and her husband, Greg of Sebastian, Florida and her daughter, Leslie Symmonds of Sebastian, Florida. She was the greatest "Mema" to her grandchildren, Robert Vafiades and wife, Susan, Don Suarez and wife, Erin, Katie Jacks and husband, Riley, Jennie James-Smith and husband, Jonathan, Leanne Symmonds, Edward Symmonds and his wife, Samantha, Emily Lormer, and Abby Lormer and her partner, David Swan. She dearly loved her great grandchildren, Zane and Weston Suarez, Daniel and Andrew Vafiades, Sutton and Daxton Jacks, Nikos James-Smith and Baby Girl Symmonds, expected in August. She was the beloved sister to Francis Vallis and Katherine Bucher and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husbands Robert Lormer and John Musselman, her son Edward Lormer and her parents Boyd, Katherine and Irene Vallis and her brother Edward Brennan.

Ellen's love of family was paramount. Never a day or conversation occurred when she did not ask about people near and dear to her. heart. Their well being and happiness trumped all. A person's legacy can be found in the way people remember them. Ellen's legacy will be in the memories of all the lives of the people she touched. Her family, friends, friends that became family and even strangers. All part of her tremendously large universe.

96 years well lived.

A Celebration of Life will be held on April 21, 2024 in the chapel at Indian River Estates East at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, Shining Light Garden Foundation in Vero Beach, Florida or a charity of your choice.