Ellen Caroline Thompson

Ellen Caroline Thompson, age 94, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Saturday, October 13, 2018 at her home in Silver Spring, Maryland. Ellen was born on February 19, 1924 in the village of Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara, British Guiana, the second eldest of William and Gladys Agostini, nee Ward.

Ellen, one of nine children, graduated from Charlestown Convent High School in 1940. After high school, she went to work at the British trading company, Sandbach Parker in the capital city, Georgetown. Ellen was a pioneer in her own right. She began driving in the late 1960s, at a time when very few women drove an automobile in Guyana and she was an active Trade Union member, partaking in workers’ strikes and pickets demonstrations. She spent the majority of her career (and retired from) the British pest control company, Rentokil. There she rose from secretary to the expatriate general manager sent from England, to the office manager in a male-dominated industry.

On May 7, 1949, she married Bruce Algernon Thompson. Together, they had four children; Dawn, Sandra Denise, Errol, and Brian (spouse, Sharon). Her number one devotion was always to her children. The family lived in several areas of Georgetown until finally settling in Meadow Brook Gardens and then eventually migrating to the United States. While taking care of her family, Ellen found time to stay active at her church, where she volunteered at their food bank and taught women how to crochet.

She is survived by her beloved children; 7 grandchildren, Tahira, Takeia, aka Shena, Janel, Aaron, Portia, Lauren and Amari; 10 great-grandchildren, Caleb, Kendrell Jr., Jacob, Julian, Nyah, Langston, Amina, Caylee and Talia; 3 siblings, Claude Agostini, Lynette Katchay, and Edward Cyril Agostini. Ellen was predeceased in death by her husband of 49 years, Bruce Thompson and her siblings, Malcolm, Enid, Majorie, Desmond and Donald. Ellen will also be fondly remembered by her in-laws, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews and a host of other family and friends.