KATHERINE VIRGINIA INGALLS EHRLENBACH

ELLSWORTH – Katherine Virginia Ingalls Ehrlenbach, 91, passed away peacefully May 31, 2010, surrounded by her family. She was born July 11, 1918, in Bangor, the daughter of Raleigh L. and Hildred (Johnson) Ingalls. In her youth, Katherine studied violin with A. Stanley Cayting, and ballet and tap dancing with Winifred Murray in Bangor. She attended Hannibal Hamlin School, Bangor. In 1932 her family moved to Ellsworth. She graduated from Ellsworth High School in 1936, Farmington State Teacher’s College in 1939 and the University of Maine in 1941, with a Bachelor of Science degree in education. She was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority and a Girl Scout leader at Camp Natarswi. Her first teaching position was as a music supervisor in Houlton. She married Howard L. Ehrlenbach Sr. April 4, 1942. They lived in Camp Lejeune, N.C., and San Diego, where Howard was stationed with the Marines. Howard was deployed to the Pacific Theater whereupon Katherine returned to Ellsworth. She and Howard made their home on Union Street after the war. She taught music at schools in Franklin and Lamoine. She taught third, fourth and fifth grades in Trenton, from 1963-1965, and fourth grade at Bryant E. Moore and Charles C. Knowlton schools from 1965 to 1981, when she retired from teaching. Katherine enjoyed canoeing, hiking, downhill skiing, golfing, knitting, crocheting, watercolor painting and music. She canoed all the major rivers in Maine, including a 10-day trip down the Allagash. She swam across Union River Bay. She skied in Europe and the Western U.S. as well as many slopes in Maine, but enjoyed skiing Sugarloaf the most. Her summers were spent at the family cottage on Bluff Point, where she enjoyed swimming, sailing and hosting tea parties and sleepovers for her grandchildren. She played first chair second violin with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra for 25 years and the Monteaux Orchestra for two summers. She and Howard were volunteers for the Winter Special Olympics at Sugarloaf. She was a member of the board of directors of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra and Maine Coast Memorial Hospital. She was predeceased by her husband of 58 years. Katherine is survived by four devoted sons, Richard and his wife, Nancy, Frederick and his wife, Elizabeth, all of Trenton, Lincoln and his wife, Debra, of Hancock, and Kenneth and his wife, Leslie, of Ellsworth; six grandchildren, Heidi Bryer of Hancock, Maria Griffin of Orrington, Heather Bird of Ellsworth, Roddy Ehrlenbach of Carrabassett Valley, Erin Collins of Freeport and Ashley Johnson of Hancock; and six great-grandchildren, Zachary, Tyler and Kaitlyn, all of Hancock, Benton and Braelynn of Ellsworth, and Matthew of Freeport. Katherine lived her last years in the excellent care of Brenda Alley, who has become a treasured friend of the family. Visiting hours will be held 5:30-7 p.m. Wednesday, June 2, at Jordan-Fernald, 113 Franklin St., Ellsworth. A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, June 3, at First Congregational Church UCC, 2 Church St., Ellsworth. Interment will be at Woodbine Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Katherine’s name to Winter Special Olympics at Sugarloaf Mountain, 125 John Roberts Road, Suite 19, South Portland, ME 04106 or F. Eugene Dixon Emergency Center Capital Campaign, Maine Coast Memorial Hospital, 50 Union St., Ellsworth, ME 04605. Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.