Ellen Alwilda MacMorran Shaffer

July 14, 1930 - January 15, 2021

Ellen Alwilda MacMorran Shaffer, 90. Widow of Raymond L. Shaffer, of Towanda, PA passed away Friday evening, January 15, 2021 at the Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, PA. Ellen was the eldest child of Richard V. and Florence W. Hicks MacMorran of Saco, having been born on July 14, 1930 at the Mills Hospital in Towanda. She attended the Fisher School at Standing Stone, the Saco School, and Towanda High School, with the Class of 1948. In early years Ellen worked as a waitress at various restaurants including Johnson’s (later Horutz’s) on old Bridge Street and the Gay-Aten on Main Street in Towanda. The majority of her life was devoted to her home and family. She kept a nice home and was always looking for ways to make it a little better; working very hard to provide good food by gardening, canning and freezing vegetables and fruit. Ellen enjoyed sewing and made and altered many of her children’s clothes over the years and also made draperies and curtains. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and spent lots of time caring for her grandchildren. Ellen was an avid Bible student having become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1970, and she liked to talk to people about the prophecies that apply to our day and how the Lord’s prayer of peace “as in Heaven, also here on earth” will come about. Ellen loved her pets and always had a dog and at least one cat, sometimes taking in homeless animals. Her husband of almost 50 years preceded her in death on April 28, 2003, as did her father, Richard, on November 2, 1997, mother, Florence, on January 5, 2000, infant great grandson, Michael Paul Shaffer on December 23, 1991, great granddaughter, Chelsey Ann Proehl on September 2, 1998, and brothers, Richard Elwin MacMorran on June 22, 2016, and Kenneth Lyle MacMorran on April 16, 2007. Ellen is survived by her five children, Irene Ann (Timothy) Phinney of Puerto Rico and Sayre, Ronald R. (Janice) Shaffer of Alabama and Terrytown, Elaine M. (Michael) Lovegreen of Waverly, Stephen R. Shaffer of Durell, Nathan L. Shaffer of Towanda, and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister, Shirley B. (Donald) Barnes of North Tonawanda, NY, a brother, Gerald W. (Dottie) MacMorran of Dandridge, TN, brother-in-law, Martin Shaffer of Powell, sisters-in-law, Christine Shaffer of Liberty Corners, and Jackie MacMorran of Lake Havasu City, AZ, as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins. Arrangements are made at the Maryott-Bowen Funeral Home, 217 York Ave. Towanda, PA. Due to the pandemic, a small private graveside service will be held for the immediate family, with a larger memorial service to be planned in the future. Interment will be in Bradford County Memorial Park, Burlington Township, PA. Contributions in memory of Ellen may be directed to the Bradford County Humane Society, P.O. Box 179, Ulster, PA 18850 or an animal care organization of your choice. Memories and condolences may be expressed by visiting www.bowenfuneralhomes.com.