1928 – 2015
AUBURN — Elinor Hansen “Ellie” Brockway passed away peacefully, Tuesday, Sept. 22, at The Hospice House in Auburn.
She was born on Oct. 20, 1928, in Lewiston to Rigmor Hornbak Hansen and Magnus Christian Hansen.
Ellie graduated from Edward Little High School in 1946. She attended and graduated from the University of Maine at Orono with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1950. While at Orono, Ellie was a member (and president her senior year) of the Chi Omega Sorority, Sophomore Eagles and All-Maine Women. Ellie married George Richard “Dick” Brockway on Aug. 18, 1951, and they raised two daughters in Auburn and were an integral part of their grandson’s upbringing. Dick passed away on June 10, 2001.
After living in Pennsylvania and Texas, Ellie and Dick returned to Auburn in 1959, where they lived out their lives happily in their home in North Auburn until Ellie moved to Schooner Estates in February 2015. Ellie taught English at ELHS from 1959 to 1962 and substituted in the Auburn schools until she found her passion — teaching second grade. Ellie taught second grade at Sherwood Heights Elementary School from 1970 to 1991. She was active in the community and a member of many community organizations, such as High Street Congregational Church, where she was a church member since 1949 and past member of the church council and Women’s Guild. Ellie was the first president of the Lewiston-Auburn Maine Alumnae Association in 1950. She was a member of the Edward Little Alumnae Association, the WHA, YWCA, the Auburn Art Club, a CMMC corporator and associate, a past director of the Lewiston and Auburn College Club, a member of the board of directors for the Home for Aged Women/Chapman House and a corporator for the Auburn Public Library. Ellie was also a member of the Turner Highlands Golf Club since its foundation in 1993 and the Taylor Pond Yacht Club. She enjoyed traveling, golf, knitting and reading.
She is survived by her daughter, Barbara and husband, Ray Romero, of Easton, Mass.; grandchildren, Dylan Brockway of Auburn, Nicole and David Romero of Easton, Mass.; great-grandchildren, Dallas Romero and Mya Rose Celia of Middleborough, Mass., and Adrian and Jocelyn Williams of Brockton, Mass.; and nephew, Charles Broomhall and wife, Mary, of Conway, N.H.
She was predeceased by her husband; parents; sister, Ruth Hansen Broomhall; daughter, Susan Ruth Brockway; and stepgranddaughter, Colleen A. Romero-Celia.
The family would like to express their gratitude to the Androscoggin Home Health Care and Hospice and The Hospice House for their wonderful care and compassion toward Ellie and her family.
You may offer your online condolences to the family at www.thefortingroupauburn.com.
Send questions/comments to the editors.