Ellen Marie Lavin, 66, of Riverside, CA passed away suddenly in Dallas, TX of a brain aneurysm.
Ellen was born on June 16, 1953 in Chicago, IL to Catherine and Donal Noonan (deceased). She married her husband Patrick on November the 3rd 1974. Ellen graduated from Evergreen Park Community High School in 1971 and went on to attend Moraine Valley Jr. College. Ellen was employed as a lab tech and medical technician at both Little Company of Mary Hospital in Chicago and at Saddleback Community Medical Center in Laguna Hills.
Ellen grew up in Chicago and Evergreen Park. After her marriage to Pat in 1974 they resided in Frankfort, IL and moved to Southern California in 1984 and lived in El Toro for 25 years before moving to Riverside in 2009. Ellen is an avid Chicago White Sox fan, an equine enthusiast, a prolific shopping expert and a bad-ass wife, mom and grandma.
Ellen is a 37 year member of the Al-Anon family groups, often speaking at AA/Al-Anon conferences in many places around the world. Recently she began volunteer work at Leaps and Bounds Pediatric Equine Therapy Center in Norco.
Ellen is survived by her loving husband of 45 years, Patrick and her children, Colin Lavin (Jenny), Katie Brown (Mike Brown), Casey Lavin (Jenna) and step daughter Erika Lavin. She is the proud grandma of 7 Grandchildren, Michael Brown, Colin Lavin, Jr., Ella Kay Brown, Shamus Lavin, Oliver Lavin, Sofia Brown and Nora Katherine Lavin. She leaves behind three sisters, Cathy Bishop (Dave), Donna O'Toole (Bob), Mary Rita Brown and nine nieces and nephews. Ellen also leaves behind close friends Lori and Bob Casey and hundreds of others who's life she touched along with her two dogs Freddie and Ricky.
Two words that sum Ellen's life; Beautiful and Matriarch.
One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, One belonging to me and one to my Lord.
After the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life, especially at the very lowest and saddest times, there was only one set of footprints.
This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said once I decided to follow you, You'd walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life, there was only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me."

He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you."
Services TBA