Eleanor "Ellie" M. (Faggion) Pellenz

Eleanor “Ellie” Marie Pellenz, 89, of Cheboygan and Sault Ste. Marie, left this earth for her heavenly home on October 22, 2017 at home with her family by her side.

Ellie was born January 17, 1928 in Lansing, the daughter of James and Cecilia (Rocheleau) Faggion.  Prior to her graduation from St. Mary’s Catholic High School in 1945, Ellie completed beauty school, passed her state boards and had received her first Cosmetology license.

On Aug. 9, 1947, she married Edward Pellenz, of Cheboygan, at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Lansing.  They returned to Cheboygan and their first home on W. First Street.

After being a full-time homemaker for 14 years, Ellie went back to beauty work.  She worked at Bernie’s Beauty Shop and the Twist and Twirl before deciding to return to school to obtain her Instructors License.  She became a Senior Instructor and taught and managed schools in Cheboygan, Alpena, Iron Mountain, Escanaba, and Sault Ste. Marie.  She was a member of the National Hairdresser and Cosmetologist Association, Michigan Beauty School Association, Michigan Cosmetology Association, National Association of Cosmetology Schools, and the Teachers Educational Council. 

In 1979, Ellie opened St. Mary’s Institute, Inc in Sault Ste. Marie, MI serving American and International students.  One year later, Ellie and Ed moved to the Soo.  They operated the school on Ashmun Street for more than 20 years before moving the school to Maple Street.  Her school always maintained the highest standards passing State Board inspections with flying colors. She was asked to supply various lesson plans, practices, and procedures to assist in establishing standards to be used in schools statewide.  She closed the school in 2002 and became an examiner for the Michigan State Board of Cosmetology. 

Throughout her career, Ellie was very active in her field; receiving credits from  Ferris State College, Central Michigan University and Lansing Community College.   She not only attended various “Platform” presentations but was also one of the performing Artists.  She arranged to have National Platform Artists visit her Sault Ste. Marie location to demonstrate the latest techniques for her students so they did not have to travel.  Ellie served in several board positions prior to being elected President of the Michigan Beauty School Association in 1985.  She was also recognized by the mayor of Sault Ste Marie for her contributions to the community.

When she was not teaching or training, Ellie loved to entertain at her home.  She hosted many parties including graduations, anniversaries, engagements, birthdays, holidays, etc., and always did all of the food preparation.  Her parties were always well attended with gatherings of 40 to 60 family and friends.  No one ever left hungry but did leave happy.

After retiring in 2004, Ellie and Eddie spent time in Florida and North Carolina during the winter months with their children.  They also traveled to Las Vegas, Washington DC, Colorado, and New York.  They enjoyed spending time in Paradise, MI with longtime friends Colletta (Beauchamp) Rajala, Darcy (LeDuc) Jacques, and Francis Doering.   They also enjoyed their time in Cheboygan where they would spend evenings watching the deer, fox, rabbits, and even skunks traveling through their property on nightly hunts for food.

Ellie loved to cook and bake and would share her cakes and cookies with friends, family, and neighbors.  You could not visit without having something to eat and more often than not would have to take something home for later.  She believed that no one should go to bed hungry and did her best to make sure no one she knew every did.  She would go the extra mile to help family and friends even if it meant that she had to spend extra hours on the road traveling or cancelling her previous plans.  She never wanted to ask anyone for help and would usually insist she didn’t need any if asked.  She always put the other person first.

Survivors include: one son, Edward J Pellenz of Florida, one daughter, Cynthia (Gene) Wyman of North Carolina, one daughter-in-law, Vicki Pellenz of Florida; her grandchildren: Edward III, Adrian, and Patricia Pellenz of Florida and Michigan, and Regina Wyman and Angela (Steve) Wyman Moorman of Nevada; one granddaughter-in-law, Erlene Larson of Florida; great-grandchildren: Edward IV and Alexander Pellenz of Florida; one sister-in-law, Lois Ann Faggion of Lansing; nieces: Sandy (Bob) Socolovitch and Suzanne Eddy of Cheboygan, and Sondra Faggion of Lansing, nephew Jon (Carmen) Faggion of Virginia; her special family: Kevin, Shannon, and Kirk Sheren of Lansing, Lee Socolovitch, Clara Causley, Tom and Susan Rauch, and Joe and Carolyn Nichols of Cheboygan.

In addition to her husband, Edward, who passed away June 9, 2012, Ellie was preceded in death by her parents: her brothers:  James and Robert Faggion; mother and father-in-law, Arthur and Laura (Bonneau) Pellenz; brothers-in-law: Harold, James (Marion Jane), Charles (Nadine) and Robert Lee Pellenz; sisters-in-law: Marie E. Pellenz and Dorothy (Glenn) Eddy; nieces and nephews: Bobby, Bonnie, and Jimmie Joe Faggion, Jamie (Faggion) Prieda, and Glen Pellenz.

A funeral Mass was celebrated on Thursday, November 2nd at St. Mary/St Charles Catholic Church with burial taking place at Mt. Calvary Cemetery.

Ellie generously supported numerous charities over the years; therefore, the family is accepting donations for memorials in her name, in lieu of flowers.

The Nordman-Christian Funeral Home is caring for the family.

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