Meet Resident Ellen | Oaks at Hampton

Ellen was born and raised in Miami, Florida, and lived there for 75 years. When Ellen was growing up, Miami was a beautiful, quaint town; nothing like what it is today! Her mother was a homemaker, and her dad worked in the oil business, just like his father did. Ellen had one older brother who was five years older than her.

Ellen went to the University of Florida and, after four years, earned a degree in Education. Ellen was a teacher for 34 years and taught second grade at the same school she went as a child. The principal and several teachers she worked with were there when she attended. Ellen later went on to be the Area Coordinator for Reading.

Ellen married her husband, Gary, in 1955. Prior to the wedding, the Miami Herald newspaper asked if they could run an article about her engagement, wedding plans, and the wedding. She and Gary shared 63 wonderful years together until his passing in 2017. They traveled all over the United States and vacationed at a ranch in North Carolina every summer. They went at the same time every year, and many of the other vacationers also came at that time every year.

Ellen and Gary shared their first home in Miami for 24 years and their second home in Miami for 24 years. The paid had one son, Gary, who was named after his father and his grandfather. Like those before him, he also worked in the oil business. They moved to Cumming, Georgia, to be closer to their son and lived in one of the Orchard communities for 13 years.

After her husband passed, Ellen was cleaning the garage, fell, and broke her hip. She could no longer live in her house by herself, so she moved to the Oaks at Hampton. Ellen enjoys working puzzles, playing cards, going to Bible study, and chatting with the many friends she has made at The Oaks.

We are so thankful to have her as part of our family, and we thank her for sharing her story!