Remembering Ellie
On Sunday, March 1, 2026, at 1 PM, we will gather at the Beacon Light Tabernacle Seventh Day Adventist Church, 1568 NY-9D, Wappingers Falls, NY, to honor you, your life and your legacy.  Your origin story gives context to why this tribute means so much to so many, and to the wonderful gifts that you left behind.

On April 23, 1946, you were born in Darien, Georgia, about 160 miles southwest of Charleston, along the south Atlantic shoreline.  It remains a mystery why your mother was there when she delivered you; or how she arrived there; or made it back to Charleston, where she lived and where you would be raised.

There isn't much to be found online about Darien during this time, and what is there is not very flattering, especially as it relates to Black people. But what we do know is that it represents an extension of the Gullah-Geechee culture, of which you and our family are direct descendants.

The Gullah, as you already know, are descendants of enslaved Africans who primarily inhabit the coastal regions of the southeastern United States, including North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Their roots can be traced back to countries like Senegal, Angola, the Ivory Coast and Guinea and they have managed to preserve a rich cultural heritage that reflects their ancestral roots.

From food, to dance, to spiritual practices, African heritage marks their everyday existence. One example that we sometimes hear in mainstream culture is storytelling and, specifically, the stories of "Ba Rabbit".

Ba Rabbit is amazing... so much like you.  But he is not to be confused with the devious and often troublesome "Brer Rabbit" of Uncle Remus and "Folklore of the Old Plantation" fame... not to be thought of as the character who is typically used to teach a lesson about morality and about what not to do.

I'm talking about Ba Rabbit... of the 1888 text "Gullah Folktales from the Georgia Coast" , which celebrates a clever protagonist who uses his wits to overcome adversity... a character with grit and resilience... a character from whom new things can be learned; not upon whom conformity is to be forced... neither a spirit that is to be tamed or broken.

You see, it's often those who will not conform who make such a difference in the lives of others... it's those non-conformists who change the world, whether in large or small ways. And it was your refusal to conform that bestowed upon you an advocate's heart and a warrior's spirit, and the following things were born of that:

-Your belief in and work with 2nd-6th grade students at JHS 145 in the South Bronx, who were failing and who were expected to fail; and your work which led to vast  improvements in their ability to read until those who were failing began to pass and achieved par on their standardized exams;

-Establishment of multiple grassroots community organizations and fair housing initiatives in the South Bronx;

-Becoming the first woman of color to serve on the Beacon City Council; serving for 4 terms; and the serving as the city's first African American Councilperson-at-Large;

-As a realtor, helping those with distant dreams of home ownership and challenging credit histories to secure non-predatory financing and to finally purchase homes;

-Helping to build the home for the Beacon Light Tabernacle Seventh Day Adventist Church;

-Co-founding the Young Artists' Mentoring Program;

-Establishing a platform to showcase female artists and artists of color in the Hudson Valley at The Howland Cultural Center;

-Advocating for childcare and healthcare to become more accessible, and for a lower deficit for the city of Beacon and decreased taxes for Beacon's middle class.

On January 17th, 2026, when you took your place among the ancestors, the legacy that you left was one of empowerment of others.  You've shown two generations of New York City and Hudson Valley residents that they are worthy and that they are capable.  You gave many individuals basic tools to pursue their dreams. For others, you opened doors of opportunity. And then there were those to whom you taught self-advocacy; and/or advocacy for others.

And your legacy has continued through your surviving family members... daughter, Dr. Jaishree Ellis and granddaughter, Taylor Ellis, in whom you have instilled the values of academic excellence, servant leadership and professional achievement.

In the short time that he was with us, your grandson, Robert Ellis, Jr. continued your legacy of artistic expression, particularly through the photography that the two of you shared, as well as his own servant leadership.  We find comfort in knowing that you are together once again, and you will also be with your mother, Rosalee Thompson, who preceded you in death.

You will be missed by your only sibling, Vera Thompson, also sharing your characteristics of academic strength, professional achievement, and spiritual authenticity.  Finally, your grandson, James Ellis, will miss you in ways that autism may never allow him to express, but that are real and profound all the same.

There's no one among us who can say that you didn't challenge us... and there's no one among us who can say that some of those challenges weren't those that made us search our souls.  But what each and every one of us should be able to say without hesitation is that you were always an ally... and you were always courageous... and there was no one better to have in our corner... and when you showed up, if you were on our side, then we knew that all would be well.  And each one of us became better versions of ourselves, simply for having known you.

You fought the very best fight, and you've helped people that you never even met... and helped many who probably haven't yet been born.  It is now time to take your rest.

Job well done.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Howland Cultural Center at:
https://donorbox.org/northcutt-legacy-fund-honors-eleanor-thompson