Obituary of Ellen Carey Holleran

Ellen Espy Holleran, 64 of State College, passed peacefully at home on January 6th 2019, after a long and lionhearted battle with cancer. Ellen was born in Bryn Mawr and graduated from Westmont Hilltop High School (Johnstown) and The Pennsylvania State University, College of Health and Human Development. A true daughter of Pennsylvania, Ellen made her lasting home in State College with her devoted husband Tom, where they raised their two daughters, Molly and Laura. Ellen, affectionately referred to by her family as "Ski Mom", was a passionate outdoorswoman, though her greatest love was for her daughters. She and Tom were dedicated to imparting a loving, adventurous, and personally responsible life to them. We will be left with a seemingly endless hole in our hearts without our Ellen here, but we will be replenished by memories of her with every snowfall. She will also be tenderly remembered in the sunsets, as she and Tom often visited the Penn State Arboretum to watch them in the last years of her life. Ellen is preceded in death by her parents, Carl Espy, Jr. and Regina Z. Heslop. She is survived in her immediate family by her husband Thomas V. Holleran, daughters Molly Taptich (Michael) and Laura Holleran, sister Carol Espy DiSpirito (James), nephew Daniel DiSpirito, and an extended family of loving cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws and friends. Celebration of Life will be held at Mountain View Country Club, 310 Elks Club Road, Boalsburg, on Sunday January 13th. Family receiving at 1 p.m., celebration of life following at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers the family suggests that memorial contributions be made in Ellen's name to the Bestwick Foundation, by visiting bestwickfoundation.org. Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online condolences and signing of the guest book may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com.