Ellen Marie Sloan, age 74, of Longmont, Colorado passed away on Saturday, January 18, 2025. Ellen was born in Blue Earth, Minnesota.
I had the time of my life! It was a good life, and I thank you for being a part of it. Please take a quick walk with me as I reminisce.
In the small town of Blue Earth, Minnesota, I was born to Ray and Verian Schultz, along with sisters Cheryl Toeppen (Chris), Anne Klarich (Jon), brothers Brad Schultz (Nancy) and Bill Schultz (Bonnie). With an extended loving family of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, we played and grew in Wells, Minnesota, and surrounding farms and towns.
But moving to Longmont in 1963 was a turning point to great new surroundings and adventures. I attended St. John's grade school, Longmont High, and Northeastern Junior College with numerous new friends and activities. So many of you became true friends for life, and I'm so very grateful for you.
And then I met and fell in love with a guy named Jim Sloan, and he became my life partner and husband for over fifty years. During his military service we moved to Germany and started our life together with many of the best experiences and memories of our lives.
Jim has been my rock, and we've experienced wonderful journeys near and far. We have shared so many good times together as a couple.
Coming back to Colorado and to Longmont we worked hard to build our home life. We always had a loving dog or a cat in our homes to keep us company. I worked in banking and then as an administrative assistant and property manager for over twenty years with John Caldwell, Inc.
I'm proud of the many professional relationships nurtured and mentored in downtown Longmont.
Perhaps my greatest passion and skill was hospitality. I loved to cook, share food with Jim, family, friends, and neighbors, and host birthday, anniversary, and holiday par ties, BBQs, pumpkin carving for the kids, and gatherings always filled with great stories, much laughter, and so much fun. I catered par ties for others and always had fresh flowers in my kitchen.
With a new generation of nieces and nephews (Lyndsey and Grant Toeppen, Ben and Adam Klarich, Dani and Becca Schultz, Samantha Schultz, Shane and Jason Smeins, Andrew Danieli) we always had a home where they felt welcomed and celebrated; they had an aunt and uncle with whom they could confide. I loved playing the role of Aunt / Great Aunt with yet another generation of little ones: Greyson, Nat, Ty, Iris, Tori, and Nate (and celebrating one more on the way!).
My life has been full, not always easy, but certainly one that I met with a big smile, a hearty laugh, and deep appreciation. I took great pride and joy in strong, loving relationships with family and friends near and far, present and past. My memories of you are vivid, and I'm grateful that our time together has been so very precious.
So it's time to leave, and my request is simple. Please reach out to someone new, perhaps someone forgotten. Visit an assisted living / memory care / hospice home to say hello.
Donate your time or treasure to help eradicate Parkinson's, or to a cause that is close to your heart.
Celebrate life with a fresh flower bouquet and smile when you think of a great memory of us together. Live with joy and remember: "A friend is someone who bails you out of jail, a true friend is someone who sits with you in jail and says, damn that was fun!"
With love, Ellen The family would like to thank the caring and attentive staff at MorningStar Boulder and the loving care and kindness provided by Ellen's Hospice team.
Cremation is entrusted to Howe Mortuary & Crematory of Longmont, Colorado.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.howemortuary.com for the Sloan family.