Ellen Marie Burgess

Ella Burgess peacefully passed away March 19th, 2023 in Bend, Oregon. Ella was born in Panama, Iowa in 1934, the second girl in the family of Helen and Joseph Rosenthal. Ella grew up with her five brothers: Roland, Joe, Al, Jim and Dan, and her two sisters Felice and Joyce. Ella was the sixth child of eight and enjoyed the role of being big sister to Dan and Joyce. She spent her childhood in Portsmouth, Iowa and Omaha, Nebraska. She graduated from Holy Name Catholic High School in 1951 where she enjoyed and excelled in choir and musical theater. After graduating Ella spent time exploring different Midwest cities with her girlfriends and tried out a variety of careers: switchboard operator, X-ray technician, accounting clerk and sales clerk. Eventually settling in Los Angeles, she met Matt Skulich at a Catholic Youth Organization dance. They married in 1958 and had three children: Nick, Jeanne and Cindy. Matt passed away in 1961 in a tragic car accident five months before the birth of Cindy. The family moved to Bend in 1964. She later met Otis Burgess at a square dance and unbeknownst to her when Otis first met her he thought 'I'm going to marry her!' They married in 1966, joining her family with Otis and his two boys, Terry and Tony. Later that year Ella gave birth to twin boys, David and Daniel. After the twins started grade school Ella was hired as the librarian for St. Francis Elementary School. Her favorite thing about her time at St. Francis was getting to know the students and making reading recommendations to match their skills and interest. After her librarian years she worked for St. Vincent DePaul as the food pantry manager and volunteer coordinator where she remained until her retirement. Ella enjoyed spending time with family and hosting holiday get-togethers. She loved to travel the West with Otis, seeing national parks and historic towns, and going on road trips to visit her siblings and their families in Lemoore and Southern California.. Ella was an avid antiquer, loved going to yard sales and running her antique booth. Her specialty was anything she could buy low and sell high! She is survived by her 4 children and their spouses: Nick Skulich, Jeanne Smoldt (Don), son-in-law, Jake Egli, Daniel Burgess (Jerry) and David Burgess (Louise), and two step-children Terry Burgess (Merrilene) and Tony Burgess. She is also survived by 10 grandchildren: Lacy Weeks (Scott), Angie Burgess, Randy Burgess, Don Smoldt, Andrew Egli, Katie Crawford (Will), Mallory Smoldt, Matt Egli, Emily and Abbey Burgess and 2 great-grandchildren: Ella and Cameron Crawford. She is preceded in death by her husband, Otis Burgess, daughter, Cindy Egli and grandson Christopher Smoldt. She had a profound love for family, a beautiful smile and she will be deeply missed. Funeral Mass Tuesday, March 28th at 10:00 am St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church (New Church) 2450 NE 27th St. Bend, Oregon 97701 Live stream: https://www.stfrancisbend.org/ Contributions in memorial can be made to: St Vincent De Paul, Bend - https://stvincentdepaulbend.org/donate-3

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Ellen Marie Burgess

January 18, 1934 - March 19, 2023