Obituary of Ellen A Stockel

Ellen A Stockel, age 70 of Bridgewater, NJ, died Saturday, July 7, 2007 at the University of Pittsburg Hospital. Born in Fairview, NJ, on April 23, 1937, she was the daughter of the late Ralph and Helen McGuire. Ellen attended parochial grammar school in Fairview and graduated from Cliffside High School. She and eight other high school female friends formed a social club called Enin, which is nine spelled backwards. They remained life long friends and frequently socialized over the years. After High School, Ellen worked for New Jersey Bell, then for IBM in New York City. On August 29, 1959, Ellen married Richard F. Stockel of West New York, NJ. Ellen was a devoted and loving wife, mother and grandmother. Besides her husband, she is survived by her three children, Richard F. Stockel JR from Mechanicsville, VA and his wife Linda, Kristina L. Crawford form High Bridge and her husband, Drew and Colleen E. Kirsinger from Morris Township, and her husband, Glenn. Ellen is also survived by her grandchildren, Drew Raymond Crawford, Katharina A. Crawford, Richard F. Stockel III, Abigail S. Kirsinger and Sophia S. Kirsinger. Ellens sister, Ileene McGuire died in 2005. Ellens interests were reading detective novels, doing crossword puzzles, shopping for clothes and toys for her grandchildren, as well as traveling with her husband on numerous technical conferences (meeting mostly in the United States, Europe and Canada.) One week after her marriage to Richard, they packed their few possessions in Ellens 1953 Ford and moved to Atlanta, GA., where Richard was a graduate student. They rented a two-room efficiency apartment in Atlanta, one block off Peach Tree Street, which they dubbed the apartment Tara, after the mansion in Gone with the Wind. It was here that Ellen learned to read lips, because her husband had to study for his qualifying exams, and the TV volume was virtually nil. This act was characteristic of her life long sacrifices for other people. Ellen and Richard then moved to Clemson University to continue his studies. It was here while she was employed by the Agricultural Exterior Service of Clemson that she learned how to get rid of the Palmeto bug (a type of termite). The Director of the Institute told her to buy the Sunday New York Times, roll it up into a club, and use it like a fly swatter. It was also at Clemson that Ellen and Richard had their first child, Richard JR. But, it didnt happen without some drama. At about 4 am while driving to the hospital they ran out of gas. Fortunately, they were within a few hundred yards of Anderson Hospital. Ellen calmly walked the remaining distance, checked in to the hospital and within minutes had the baby. Dr. Hunter, a Clemson Football physician delivered the baby, however he didnt have time to suit up in the proper hospital attire. In 1962, they moved back to Bridgewater, where they raised their children and made many friends. Interestingly, Ellen continued her amazing ability to keep calm and collected as illustrated when she single handedly delivered her second child, Kristina at home in their Finderne Heights Apartment, in Bridgewater. After the delivery, the scene looked like a Hollywood movie with two State Trooper cars and two rescue vehicles giving assistance. Richard Voorhees, an EMT technician, used her husbands shoelace to tie the umbilical cord. In addition to her immediate family, she is survived by her brother-in-law, William A. Stockel, his five children and six grandchildren, her cousins Kenneth and Beverly and their family, and many other relatives. Ellen was always dependable and honest with all of her dealings with people and their personal problems. She offered valuable advice to her husband, children and later her grandchildren, but also to relatives, friends and neighbors. Her wisdom will be sorely missed, but the lessons she taught us will remain in our hearts and minds. Ellen will leave an indelible impression of love, faith, honesty and caring for others, for the rest of our lives. A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, July 13, 2007 at 10:00 am at St. Bernards Church in Bridgewater. Friends may visit with the family on Thursday, July 12, 2007 from 2-4 and 7-9 pm at the Kearns Funeral Home, 103 Old Highway 28, Whitehouse. Entombment will be in St. Bernards Mausoleum.