Ellen M. Jerrick

Ellen Marie “Nan” Jerrick passed away peacfully at home with her family at her side on March 18, 2025, of complications from a stroke. She fought bravely for nearly five months before her body, but not her spirit, gave out. A loving mother and a doting grandmother, Ellen cherished time with family and friends above all else. She was the most friendly, outgoing person you would ever want to meet. Ellen never met a stranger. If you were fortunate enough to ever meet her, you would always remember her kind words and infectious laugh.

Ellen Marie Ryan was born in Boston, Massachusetts on July 3, 1947, the daughter of William J Ryan and Georgia O’Leary Ryan. She grew up in Arlington, Massachusetts, surrounded by cousins that were more like her brothers and sisters. She graduated from Arlington High School and received a BA in Education from Cardinal Cushing College in May 1970.

In March 1969, she met her lifelong love, Tom Jerrick, then an Air Force captain stationed at nearby Hanscom Field. He was transferred three months later and after a mostly long-distance courtship, they were married June 6, 1970. Their almost 55 years of marriage saw them raising their two daughters and moving with the Air Force to Rochester, NY, Albuquerque, NM, Satellite Beach, FL, and finally Crofton in 1980.

During her children’s younger years, Ellen was heavily involved with their schools and sports - Brownie troop leader, scheduling teacher conferences, chaperone for figure skating competitions. Once they were older, she brought her energy and talents to the retail world. Hired for the team that opened the Sears store in Bowie, Maryland, she remained with Sears in various roles, retiring in 2002 as Women’s Clothing manager. In retiement she enjoyed traveling, reading, and most of all, her annual trips to Disney World with her grandchildren.

She inherited a love of sports from her father and remained an avid lifelong fan of the New England sports teams - she once won a bet from a male Sears co-worker by naming the starting lineup of the 1967 Red Sox - although eventually she would root for the Nats, Commanders, Ravens, and Capitals, as long as they weren’t playing the Red Sox, Patriots, or Bruins.

She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Georgia Ryan, and her cousins Robert Mogavero and Linda Mogavero. She is survived by her husband of 54 years Tom, daughters Jennifer Blalock (Brian) of New Bern, NC and Amy Wiegel (Wade) of Fairfax Station,VA, grandchildren Nathan and Nora Blalock, Aidan and Meredith Wiegel, “sister cousins” Joan Tourles, Kate Mullaney, Janice France, Roberta Fitzgerald, and Lee Mogavero, in-laws Mike Jerrick, Susan and Terry Fattor, and Joanne and Glenn Dunning, and numerous nieces and nephews,

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St.Elizabeth Seton Church, 1800 Seton Drive, Crofton, Maryland, at 11:00 am on Thursday, April 3, with visitation at the church beginning at 10:00am. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions can be made to St Jude’s Childrens Research Hospital (https://www.stjude.org) or to the Nursing Foundation of Maryland (https://www.nursingfoundationofmaryland.org) in gratitude for the loving care provided to Ellen by the nurses and medical staff at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Anne Arundel Medical Center.