PATELLA, ELLEN JEAN Feb. 23, 1950 to March 5, 2003 Ellen was a wonderful, loving wife and a caring, loving, and proud mother. After fighting a long hard battle with her health, God has put her in a better place. She will always be remembered and deeply loved by her family and will live forever in their hearts. Ellen was born in San Diego and lived here all of her life. She worked in the automotive industry as DMV administrator, most recently at Bob Baker Ford. But Ellen would always say that her most important work was loving and caring for her children, and providing an extraordinary amount of love to her husband. Her greatest enjoyment was derived from providing for her children. This for her was not work but rather a pure act of love. Ellen ' s unselfish nature will live forever and serve as a source of strength to her family to help them carry on. In 2001, after being apart for 32 years, Ellen and her high school sweetheart, Sam Patella, were reunited and married. The short period of time that God gave them as husband and wife was filled with a deep love and beautiful companionship. Ellen is survived by her husband Sam Patella of San Diego, her daughter Sarah Keena of San Diego, her parents Richard and Elsie Paullin of San Diego, her sisters Karen Jameson, and Marcia Hawthorne and her husband Lee of Eugene, Oregon. Her youngest daughter, Claire Keena, predeceased her a little over a year ago. It was Ellen ' s dream to provide a college education for her daughter. With respect to this dream, a college tuition trust fund has been established. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Sara Keena Trust Fund, 6336 Caminito Estrellado, San Diego, CA. May God bless Ellen, her family and friends. Services for Ellen will be held Thursday, March 13, 2003 at 12:30 p.m. Kensington Community Church, 4773 Marlborough Dr., San Diego, Ca. Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune on 3/12/2003. (volunteer submission)