Eleanor Stodd

Eleanor “Ellie” Jean Vetorino Stodd passed away peacefully in the early hours of November 8, 2023.  Ellie was born December 16, 1929 in New Bedford, Massachusetts, the fourth of five children, to Frank and Clara Vetorino.

Descendants of Portuguese whalers, her family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in the early 1930s, though they stayed connected to her New Bedford roots with summer trips “passing thru the Lincoln Tunnel” to visit extended family.  She often talked about eating fresh caught lobster on her uncles’ fishing boats.

Raised Catholic, Ellie started out attending Catholic school but eventually graduated from Withrow (public) High School in 1948.  She worked odd jobs in Cincinnati before moving out west in 1954 to join her oldest sibling, Frank in Portland, Oregon.

Living in downtown Portland while working at the Benjamin Franklin Savings and Loan, Ellie met Rodney “Rod” Stodd through a mutual friend in 1955.  They were married in late October 1956 in Portland and honeymooned in the Oregon coastal town of Yachats at the Adobe Hotel, where they would continue to celebrate their anniversary for almost 50 of their 56 years of marriage.  Ellie gave birth to four children in five years starting with Tom in 1958, Dave in 1959, Amy in 1961 and Lisa in 1963.  Our family lived our first 15 years in Beaverton, Oregon where Ellie and Rod formed lifelong friendships with neighbors who shared the common bond of raising multiple children.  In the early 1970s we moved to Central Oregon – first Sunriver, then Bend – where Ellie would remain in the same home on Quincy Avenue for 50 years.

As a stay-at-home mom and a talented self-taught cook and seamstress, Ellie was the creative force behind our lively household, turning chaos into laughter and joy.  She wasn’t just the heart and humor of our home; she was the ultimate hostess, orchestrating gatherings that became cherished traditions in our family, from family reunions to our festive Christmas celebrations.  She created an atmosphere that beckoned relatives and friends with open arms, resulting in a lifetime of fun and hilarious memories. Her later years were spent visiting her children and grandchildren, camping, golfing, and reading her mystery novels on the deck.  She was an energetic and entertaining lady, and even as her memory eventually faded, she maintained her witty and sardonic sense of humor.

Ellie was preceded in death by her husband Rod, who passed in 2012, her parents, and her siblings, Frank, Bob and Kathy.  She will be remembered lovingly by her children, Tom, Dave (spouse Kevan), Amy (spouse Doug) and Lisa, and grandchildren, Guy, Bridget, Jake, Nicholas, Annabelle, Peri and Sophie, and her brother, Gordon.

As we mourn the loss of Ellie, let us celebrate the vibrant spirit that defined her life.  May her memory live on in the hearts of all who were fortunate enough to know her.