On Monday, June 26, 2019, Leah Ellis D’Ascenzo, loving wife, mother, and grandmother passed away at the age of 93.
She was born December 18, 1925 in Manchester, England to Thomas and Mary Elizabeth Hughes Ellis. She was the second youngest of ten (10) siblings: Sydney, Pierce, John, Albert, William, Thomas, Georgina Ellen, and Mary Elizabeth. She attended St. Marks Church of England School and St. Marks Church in Manchester.
During WWII, she met her future husband Austin D’Ascenzo an American Army Air Corpsman. They married December 30, 1944. She then moved to Galveston, Texas traveling across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary. They had two children Cynthia and Christine. Leah served her local community of Texas City, Texas, as a librarian at Moore Memorial Public Library where she worked until retirement. She worshiped at St. George’s Episcopal Church for over 75 years where she also served in the women’s group at the church, the Altar Guild, and the needle nuts. She was a Sunday School teacher, was part of the Keys Program for latchkey kids and assisted at the church gift shop. Despite living in South Texas for over seven (7) decades, she never lost her soothing English accent, nor missed a proper British afternoon tea.
Leah was preceded in death by her daughter, Christine. She is survived by her daughter Cynthia and her grandson, Field. Also surviving her are several nieces and nephews.
