Ellen Jamieson Franck

Ellen Jamieson Franck, age 87 of Sea Cliff, NY, passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 6, 2025. Ellen embraced life and was known for her dedication to others, her humility, and her impish sense of humor. Ellen was born in Trenton, NJ to the late Thomas Crawford and Mary Reddan Jamieson and grew up in a busy home with three sisters and a brother. She attended Miss Fine’s School (now Princeton Country Day School) and graduated from Wellesley College in 1959. Later, she received her Master's degree (1978) and Doctorate (1998) in Social Work from Adelphi University. Her dissertation was titled “Caseworker outreach to birth fathers of foster children in New York City foster care”.

Ellen’s life and career were devoted to helping those less fortunate. She was a published expert in early child development. She worked as a social worker for the New York City Department of Children’s Services and for St. Christopher Ottolie and truly lived its commitment to enriching the lives of her clients with compassion, empowerment, and integrity. She taught social work as an adjunct at Adelphi, Fordham, Hunter and New York University. She was active in the community, where she volunteered at the North Shore Sheltering Program, North Shore INN (Interfaith Nutritional Network), NOSH Delivers, and myriad other organizations. Throughout her life she received recognition from these organizations for her contributions.

She enjoyed travel and meeting people different from herself. She visited five continents and dozens of countries, always making time to stop, talk, and listen to the people in the places she visited. One of her favorite poems was Rudyard Kipling’s “We and They,” which encourages empathy and humorously exposes the absurdity of prejudice. Though she expended great effort in her lifelong desire to speak Spanish, it wasn’t meant to be. Still, in 2003 she was recognized for her contribution to the Spanish speaking community by La Fuerza Unida.

Ellen was an active parishioner for over 60 years at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Sea Cliff, NY, and at Our Lady of Lourdes in Venice, FL, during her snowbird years. She lived a life of Christian faith, always giving and doing for others. She had an active intellectual life, and a strong interest in politics. In her 55th alumni yearbook, she listed her interests/passions as “Affordable housing, health care, nutrition for low-income persons in NY and FL, and children’s services.” She was a gracious and complicated woman who always looked to put her education and privilege to use for others.

Ellen was first and foremost a devoted and loving wife, mother, and grandmother. She raised a family with panache and was a devoted grandmother. She saw more sports events and concerts for the under-18 set than you could count. She kept active with swimming, sailing, beach walks, tennis, golf, and gardening. With Ernie at her side, she went to museums, the theatre and opera, fund-raisers, festivals, and all manner of community events.

Ellen was predeceased by her husband of 63 years, Ernest Paul Franck, and her daughter, Elizabeth (Lisa) Franck. She is survived by her daughters and their spouses: Gail Franck and Stephen Teager, Margaret (Peggy) Franck and James McCreery, and Carol Franck and Leon Sawyko, as well as four grandchildren: Elise Franck, Grace Sawyko, Kyra McCreery, and Evie McCreery. She is survived by her sister, Susan Jamieson Creighton, and many loving nieces and nephews.

A wake will be held at Whitting Funeral Home on Friday, May 30, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm and 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Funeral Services will be at St. Boniface Martyr Church on Saturday, May 31, at 11:00am. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to a food bank in your local community in Ellen's memory.