On May 6, 2016, Marianne Ellison, a founding member of Manomet and former Trustee, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by family. She was 97 years old. Throughout her 47-year relationship with Manomet, Marianne was a steadfast volunteer and generous supporter. 

 

Manomet was founded by a group of people who had the highest commitment to creating a better world. Marianne Ellison was one of those people and we will miss her dearly.

 

Marianne served on the Manomet Board of Trustees for 30 years (1974 to 2004). She was a long time volunteer bander in the 1970s and 1980s, provided landbird education in Duxbury schools, and regularly participated in Manomet’s annual Bird-a-Thon up until just a few years ago. 

 

Trevor Lloyd-Evans, Director of Manomet’s Landbird Conservation Program, remembered a particular Bird-a-Thon where, “It was cold and somewhat unpleasant and we’d been out since dawn when we popped over to Marianne’s. She had a lovely hot lunch prepared for us and we ‘snarf’d’ it down. We then jumped into Terry Keleher’s 4×4 and headed to Duxbury Beach to keep birding—when all of a sudden whimbrels walked out in front of us—Marianne’s favorite bird in all the world.”

 

 

She was the wife of the late Bill Ellison, who was also active with Manomet. Today, her daughter-in-law, Kathy Palmer, serves as a Manomet Councilor. We are proud to see our organization passed on to the next generation in this way.

 

Marianne’s obituary is published here.  A memorial service will be held at St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church in Duxbury on Thursday, June 2, 2016, 3:00 p.m.