Ellen Suit

Ellen L. Suit, 91, of Bozeman, passed away May 31, 2010 at Highgate Senior Living with her family by her side. She was born December 27, 1918 in Burwell, Nebraska to Walter S. and Alma (Davis) Green. She graduated from Burwell High School in 1936 as Valedictorian and went to Kearney State College on scholarship, to pursue a teaching career. Ellen married Donald W. Suit on August 20, 1945 in Oshkosh, Nebraska. They married while Donald was on military leave from the European Theater, during WWII. They made their home on the ranch in Oshkosh, Nebraska. Ellen taught elementary school in Burwell, Oshkosh, and Scottsbluff, NE. and would continue to receive May baskets from one of her second grade Oshkosh students starting in the 1940s up until this May. She was a County Welfare Director for two years and Assistant County School Superintendent for ten years. Ellen also helped her husband manage their ranch in Nebraska. Following the death of Donald in December of 1998, she continued living in Oshkosh, Nebraska and traveled with family. She enjoyed many of her dear neighbors that would meet at her home every day. In Nebraska she was a member of St. Elizabeth#8217;s Catholic Church. She was a member of several extension clubs and organizations. She was offered to travel to Europe in the 1950#8217;s to represent a Nebraska Extension Organization when her children were small, but chose taking care of her family rather than leave them. Family always came first. She made sure that her children were able to be involved in the fine arts, which was not common for a ranch child of the time in rural Nebraska. Ellen moved to Bozeman four years ago to be near her family. She was able to live in a home next door to them. The house had many features that she had always wanted to enjoy. She would spend many hours setting in her courtyard watching her flowers grow and holding her beloved dog Babe. Ellen enjoyed cooking, painting and drawing. She was an accomplished artist earlier in life. While in Nebraska, she was the person that always prepared the family get-togethers. People that assisted on the ranch loved the 5 meals that she would bring to them throughout the day. She also helped her beloved husband take care of his aging family for many years and was by her daughter#8217;s side when she died of cancer seven years ago. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Donald; daughter Cherri Ann Hose; two Brothers Charles and Clarence Green; two sisters Mable (Green) Brownell and Lula (Green) Compton. Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law James and Catherine Suit of Bozeman; grandchildren Mary K. Suit and Paul J. Suit both of Bozeman and Heather A. Thompson of Lincoln, NE. A funeral Mass will be held in Bozeman, Montana at noon, Wednesday, June 2, 2010 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church. Services will be held in Oshkosh, NE at a later date. Memorials may be made in her name to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718.