Ellen Elizabeth (VanDeWalle) Richardson

September 14, 1942      ~     December 31, 2009

SOUTH BEND - Ellen E. (Van De Walle) Richardson, 67, passed into The Church Triumphant on December 31, 2009 at the Four Seasons Hospice facility in Flat Rock, NC. A memorial service will be held at 11 AM Saturday, March 20, 2010 at the Sunnyside Presbyterian Church, 115 S. Francis St., South Bend, IN.

Born in South Bend, IN, she was the daughter of Gladys Van De Walle of Winchester, MA and the late Henry Van De Walle. She married Glenn Richardson on March 22, 1991 in Madison WI and relocated to Hendersonville, NC, in 1995. She is also survived by her sister, Charlene (John) Peterman, Winchester, MA; four stepchildren; four step-grandchildren; and a step-great-granddaughter.

As a teacher for more than 34 years, her life was dedicated to children wherever she came into contact with them. She received her Bachelor's degree from Ball State University and her Master's degree from the University of Colorado. She taught school in CA, CO, WI, HI and NC.

Ellen and Glenn loved to travel throughout the US and the world, including leading two Habitat Global Village Teams to Poland. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Hendersonville, NC. Her favorite charity was Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child where she led her church's effort to fill "shoeboxes" to be distributed to children around the world. She taught Sunday school and was the co-director of children's ministries. In Madison she was active with Altrusa.

Memorials may be made to Samaritan's Purse, Operation Christmas Child, PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607, or First Presbyterian Church Children's Ministry, 699 N. Grove St., Hendersonville, NC 28739. Please visit www.shulerfuneralhome.com