Born on July 26, 1956, in Batavia, New York, she was the daughter of Francis and Carol Precht Guppenberger.

She graduated salutatorian from Notre Dame High School and received an associate degree from Genesee Community College. She was employed by Trojan Industries in Batavia and later by the Saranac Lake School District, retiring in 2015. She spent many years as a dedicated full-time caregiver for her children.

Ellen and Alan enjoyed 37 years of marriage, having wed on Oct. 18, 1986. They moved to Saranac Lake in 1992 where they continued their love of tennis and enjoyment of the outdoors with their family, cross-country skiing and skating in the winter and biking and boating in the summer. They have a home in Lake Clear full of many happy memories together with friends and family.

Ellen delighted in spending time with her friends and family. She took great pride in her children and grandson. She also took great joy in serving in a variety of volunteer activities including the Saranac Lake Free Library, Vacation Bible School, and Meals-on-Wheels, among others. Ellen was an accomplished athlete in a variety of sports including tennis, softball, and bowling, and she enjoyed playing a variety of board games with family and friends, showing no mercy to anyone regardless of age.

Ellen moved to Boston in April of 2023 to receive the medical care her condition required and to be close to her daughters, their partners, and grandson, who were grateful for time spent together in her last several months. She made fast friends with many of the residents and staff members at Chestnut Park at Cleveland Circle, livening the Rummikub table with her competitive spirit and rarely missing an activity, particularly those involving baked goods.

Her family and friends — new and old — valued Ellen’s feisty and competitive nature, her humor and wit, her loyalty, intelligence, and strength.

Ellen is survived by her husband, Alan; daughters Alissa (Robby) and Elena; son Alexander and grandson (Logan); sisters Terri Hunter (Donald), Susan Keidel, Mary Lovria (Robert), Linda English (Alan) and Lisa Hewitt (Dean); brothers Thomas Guppenberger (Cherie) and Peter Guppenberger (Carin); sister-in-law Marian Roth; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She is predeceased by her brother Mark.

A memorial service will be held at the Adirondack Community Church in Lake Placid in the spring of 2024.

Donations can be made in her memory to the Multiple System Atrophy Coalition on her memorial page to help spread awareness of this rare disease, to support education for health care providers, and to promote research for this and other neurodegenerative disorders: https://support.multiplesystematrophy.org/ellenbeideck.