Eleanor Mae “Ellie” Thompson, 81, of Hopkinton, died Monday, December 1, 2008 at the MetroWest Medical Center after an illness. Ellie will be fondly remembered by her close friends and neighbors.

Eleanor was born in Northbridge, MA in 1927, daughter of Rae and Harry Thompson. She spent most of her youth in Westbrook, Maine and received a BA in English from the University of Maine in Orono. She went on to obtain a Masters Degree in Guidance Counseling from Boston University and did advanced degree work at the University of Colorado. A Guidance Counselor in the Framingham school system for many years, Ellie enjoyed helping others, especially young people, and often volunteered at the Hopkinton schools.

Ellie assisted at the Hopkinton Senior Center and was secretary of the Council on Aging. She was a caring and charitable member of the First Congregational Church in Hopkinton, MA, where she made many friends and chaired the Joy Fellowship committee. Ellie was also a member of Eastern Star Association. She was very generous, and contributed to numerous charities.

She loved animals, and is remembered for her regular routine of taking long walks with her dogs, Ginger and Mel, along the wooded trails of Hopkinton State Park. A lifelong naturalist, Ellie was a member of the National Wildlife Federation, the Massachusetts Audubon Society, and the New England Wild Flower Society. One of her passions was travel and she toured many locations in the United States and Europe. She was also an avid sports fan, regularly attending the Hopkinton High School football games and following the Milford Legion baseball team. Her friends enjoyed her wry sense of humor, and cheerful outlook.

She was predeceased by her sister, Jane Ellen, in 1933, her father, Harry, in 1941, and her mother, Rae, in 1985.

A celebration of Ellie’s life will be held on Saturday, December 13 at 11:00 am at the
First Congregational Church in Hopkinton. This will be preceded by a private burial at Evergreen Cemetery in East Douglas at 9 am. Arrangemnets are from the Chesmore Funeral Home of Hopkinton. www.ChesmoreFuneralHome.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ellie’s memory to the Greyhound Friends at 167 Saddle Hill Rd, Hopkinton, MA 01748, (508) 435-5969; or the Baypath Humane Society at 5 Rafferty Rd, Hopkinton, MA 01748, (508) 435-6938; or the Hopkinton Public Library, 13 Main Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748.