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Obituary of Ellen Spatola Letta
Ellen Spatola Letta passed away peacefully in the presence of her family at Morristown Memorial Hospital after fiercely battling a brief illness on February 16. Ellen was born in Brooklyn to Frances and the late Dr. Salvatore Spatola. She attended Notre Dame Academy and received her bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College. She met a fellow Hamilton alum, Christopher Letta, at a reunion shortly after graduation and they married in 1992. She also became a registered dietitian after studies at CW Post. In 1997, Ellen and Chris moved to Morristown, New Jersey where they established their permanent home. She worked briefly as a dietician at Chilton Hospital. After the 2001 birth of her son Benjamin, Ellen devoted herself wholeheartedly to raising her family. The Letta family grew in 2006 when Sofia joined them. Ellen was a wonderful mother who introduced her children to a wide variety of activities such as horseback riding, skating, music, and Tai Kwon Do. In later years, she supported her children’s involvement with the Morristown marching band.
Ellen was always on the go, organizing fun filled outings with lots of snacks for her children’s friends and their parents to pumpkin patches, amusement parks and beaches. Ellen was also the consummate community volunteer, serving as Girl Scout leader and room parent at Morristown schools for many years. She loved vacations and traveling, especially the extended family trips to Long Beach Island, and Italy and Scotland in recent years. Ellen was known for her amazing hospitality and was renowned for her festive gatherings featuring signature cocktails, such as her Thanksgiving dinners and the annual Letta Pig Roast. Everyone felt loved by her and was welcome at her house to hang out at the pool while enjoying refreshments. Ellen had many friends from different communities including Morristown schools, the dog park and Planet Fitness. In her final days, these friends were blessed to come together on Zoom meetings to reminisce and share their memories of Ellen.
Ellen is survived by her beloved husband, Christopher, her children, Benjamin and Sofia, mother, Frances Spatola, sister, Mary Frances Sabo and numerous brothers and sisters-in-law, aunts, an uncle, cousins, nieces, nephews and her dog Puffin. The family would like to extend special thanks to the nursing staff of the surgical ICU of the Morristown Medical Center and all the friends who joined together to help the Letta family in these past few weeks. In addition to her beloved father, Ellen was predeceased by Sparkles, the cutest Boston terrier.
Friends and family are invited to call at the Dangler Funeral Home, 600 Speedwell Avenue Morris Plains, New Jersey on Thursday, February 22, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on Friday, February 23, from 2:00 pm. to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Zoom Info is below for Praying the Rosary on Friday at 3:45pm.) A mass of Christian burial will be held at St Virgil’s Church, 250 Speedwell Avenue, Morris Plains, on Saturday, February 24 at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Holy Rood Cemetery, 61 Whippany Road, Morristown. (In lieu of flowers, charities are also listed below.)
List of Charities In Memory of Ellen:
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations in memory of Ellen may be made to any of the following Charities...
1. Memorial Bench at the Morris County Small Dog Park
Donate Here: Fundraiser by Emily Anderson : A Bench at the Dog Park in Memory of Ellen Letta (gofundme.com)
2. Saint Hubert's Animal Welfare Center, Madison NJ
Donate here: https://sthuberts-edit.squarespace.com/support-us
3. Saint Virgil's Appalachia Outreach
Donate here: https://membership.faithdirect.net/givenow/NJ732/46723
4. Adam Jay Lewis Academy
Donate here : https://ajlacademy.org/donation/
5. EWTN
Donate here: https://www.ewtn.com/missions/love-and-understanding-of-god-1
6. St Jude's Children Research Hospital
Zoom Info For Praying Rosary on Friday at 3:45pm:
Meeting id = 2128237877
Pin=2221732