Ellen J. Negrete

Because she always wanted to help people, Ellen joined the Daughters of Charity Convent after graduating high-school and became Sister Ellen.

She graduated from Marillac College with a BS degree in Nursing in 1973. Ellen Loved working with children in her college years in the convent and spent many hours working in community hospitals as part of her training. 

When she left the convent in 1978, she married Dr.Dionisio Negrete. In the 1980s she spent time raising her two children, Nichole and Joe. Ellen was very active in the El Paso Symphony Guild and served as president. She also served as president of the PTA at Western Hills where her children attended elementary school. Ellen had a creative eye and loved flowers. When her children were a bit older, she opened Century Plaza Florist. She always had the burning desire to help people with her nursing knowledge and decided to return to nursing in 1993. She leaves a legacy of love and healing to the countless children she treated at both Western Hills and Polk Elementary, where she served a school nurse until 2018.

At Polk, she was affectionately known as “Nursie Pooh” In 2011, Ellen was named the Region 19 Nurse of the Year by the Texas School Nurses Organization. She said, “My prayer is that all children who cross my doorstep know that I care about them and their well-being. I call it an open door policy and an open heart philosophy.” Throughout her life, everyone who knew Ellen said she was truly an angel. Her kindness, wisdom and joy, and her energetic and gentle manner endeared her to everyone she met. Ellen will be so deeply missed by those she left behind, as well as her grand puppies Flex and Rocky. (She was the best doggie grandma ever) We know that her son Joe is teaching her how to use her new wings.

The family is beyond grateful for all the calls, messages and prayers for our beautiful Ellen. She is predeceased by her parents Charles Meyer and Eleanor Meyer, son Joseph Allen Negrete, Dr. Dionisio Negrete, niece Christine Engle and stepson Paul Negrete. She is survived by her daughter, Nichole Negrete, dearest friend, Sharon Vise Pieplow, her sister, Carol Engle of St. Louis, Missouri and nephews Russ, Jeff, and Tom Engle, also of St. Louis; stepdaughters Teresa Charter, Dr. Margaret Negrete, and stepson, Mark Negrete. Other survivors include stepson-in-law Dr. Scott Stein, great nephews and nieces: Daniel, Joey, Nicholas, Jonathan, Denise, Vanessa, Alex, and Daryl.

Visitation Monday November 13^th, 4pm-8pm. Rosary at 6pm, Sunset Funeral Homes –West. Funeral Tuesday November 14^th, 11AM Queen of Peace Catholic Church. Burial Immediately following at Memory Gardens in Santa Teresa.

Those who cannot attend in person may join the funeral and memorial services virtually on Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/sunsetfuneralhome/ (no account is needed).

Services entrusted to Sunset Funeral Homes-West.