Denise Donahoe Ellis

Obituary

Obituaries | The Tube City Almanac | December 28, 2024

The finite and exact nature of the word cannot describe the life of Denise Donahoe Ellis, who the Lord blessed the world with on July 29, 1961, and called home on December 19, 2024, to join her father, mother, sister, brother, and countless other loved ones that will be thrilled to see her again.

Denise was the epitome of tenacity, kindness, love, patience, understanding, selflessness, and humor; traits that were unwavering through seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

In her personal life as a daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend, aunt, exercise junkie, chef, pharmacist, servant of the Lord, and social butterfly, Denise always made sure that she was taking care of herself first, others equally, and those that needed care as her own.  She did the Lord’s work in every facet of her life and was the epitome of lead by example.

She loved and cared as fiercely as she protected.

Her laugh was infectious. Her smile could make even the sourest of people perk up.  She always made herself available to listen, offer advice, provide guidance, offer a roof or the clothing off of her back or a meal or kindness to anyone who asked…or didn’t, at times.

She is lovingly survived by her equally loving, caring, and selfless husband Mark J. Ellis; her beloved Dude; her children Ryan Ellis, Michelle Mitchell, and Julie Ellis (Steve Mullin); sisters Diane Holtzman (Larry), Daria Sobek (Larry), and Dana Mihalik (James); brother David Donahoe (Belinda); a slew of nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, friends, and countless others that deserve to be included in her memory.

Family and friends will be received from 4 to 8 PM Thursday, January 2, 2025 at the Lopatich-Brinker Funeral Home, LLC, 601 Weldon Street, Latrobe.  A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 AM on Friday, January 3, 2025 at St. Vincent Basilica Parish, 300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe. Interment will follow at St. Vincent Cemetery.

For those unable to attend but would like to celebrate Denise, please send donations to Breakthrough T1D (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), P.O. Box 5042, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5042, www.breakthrought1d.org. To sign the online guest book, send condolences, or share a story, please visit www.lopatichbrinker.com.

Originally published December 28, 2024.

Other deaths:
"Frank R. McClain" || "Carol L. Dyer"