Elizabeth Rummell

08/07/2005

Elizabeth Rummell, 64, of Hancock died Sunday at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston after a courageous battle with breast cancer. Born in Hempstead, N.Y., on Jan. 18, 1941, daughter of Ralph and Charlotte Farrell Coyler, she was a 1958 graduate of Howitt High School there. She earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education in 1962 from SUNY Oneonta and a master of education degree in 1968 from Adelphi University. Following high school graduation, she took a year's sabbatical working with special-needs children. Mrs. Rummell began her career in the West Babylon (N.Y.) School System, teaching Grades 1 and 3. She also worked as a substitute teacher and as director of the Deer Park Cooperative Pre-School. In 1981, she relocated to the Berkshires and taught 19 years at Berlin (N.Y.) Elementary School. She was a teacher in the Gifted and Talented Program for eight years, during which time she became the coordinator, expanding the program to the entire school district. From 1991 until retiring in 2000, she taught Grade 5. After that, she was a substitute teacher until her illness this year. She was a member of North American Martyrs Church in Lanesborough, where she was a lector, a Eucharistic minister, a Confraternity of Christian Doctrine teacher and active on the Parish Council. She also was a certified minister to the sick. She enjoyed reading, collecting children's books, knitting, sewing, quilting and skiing. Her husband, Robert W. Rummel, whom she married July 16, 1966, in Farmingdale, N.Y., died in 1996. She leaves three daughters, Jennifer Ireland and Laura MacWhinnie, both of Hancock, and Kristin Binkley of Portland, Ore.; a sister, Charlotte McCarthy of Bonita Springs, Fla., and three grandchildren. FUNERAL NOTICE -- Visitation will be tomorrow, Aug. 11, at HALL & HIGGINS FUNERAL HOME, Stephentown, N.Y., from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9. The funeral will be at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, 159 Church St., Cheshire, on Friday, Aug. 12, at 11, finishing at Hancock Cemetery immediately after the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Dana Farber Cancer Institute, (617) 632-4053 or (617) 632-5009, www.jimmyfund.org. She also leaves her brother-in-law, Walter; sons-in-law, Francis Ireland and Daniel MacWhinnie; grandchildren, Grace Ireland, and Samantha and Daniel MacWhinnie III. She also leaves her black labrador, Duke, extended family, close friends and former students. She also spent some of her spare time reading to her grandchildren's classes, traveling and going to tag sales.

Obituaries

Celebrating Lives & Legacies

Elizabeth Rummell

Memorials