Ellen A. Berry, 51, of Bath, passed away peacefully on Friday evening at Mid Coast Hospital after a brief illness. She was born Ellen Leach on March 31,1965 in Alliance, OH. Ellen moved to Georgetown with her family in October of 1980 and spent most of her adult life as a resident of Bath.

Ellen graduated Morse High in 1983, and went on to a nearly 30-year career as Bartender at the Holiday Inn in Bath until they closed their doors in 2014. She later worked at Byrne’s Irish Pub in Bath, and most recently as Bar Manager at Winners OTB in Brunswick, where she is remembered fondly by staff and countless patrons, most of whom she thought of as family, because that’s how Ellen was.

Ellen was passionate about her cats, her music, and her family & friends, which she felt were all a person really needed to get through life, except maybe for an occasional roll of duct tape. She was a big fan of the New England Patriots, and of the simple things in life, shunning the world’s complexities as effortlessly as pouring a cold beer on a hot day. Ellen went her entire life without an email address. She didn’t have a Facebook account, nor did she text. Yet, her ability to bring people together was legendary, in her personal life as well as professionally. She felt strongly that social media was not really all that social, and she much preferred old-fashioned communication and face-to-face contact, traits which complemented her free spirit beautifully, and touched the lives of her loved ones in a way so profound and magical that it leaves modern technology, unapologetically, in the dust.

Ellen was predeceased by her brother Stephen Hayes, her life partner Gayla Thomas, and her Mother Barbara Berry. She is survived by her Father Paul A. Berry, Jr. and his wife Shirley, of Richmond, ME.; brothers Justin Berry of Bath and Robert Leach of East Sparta, OH; cousins Donald Jr., Andrew and Matthew Hayes of Canton, OH; sister Paula Bush of Raymond, along with Paula’s husband Mike and their children Summer Grace, 7, and Orion Alexander, 2, little ones whose beloved “crazy Aunt Ellen” cherished with all her heart.

A celebration of Ellen’s life will be held in the spring. In lieu of flowers, the family requests remembering Ellen by performing a random act of kindness to a total stranger in her name, as she would certainly feel there could be no higher honor. Because that’s how Ellen was.

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