ELLEN WATTS BURKE

Ellen Watts Burke died peacefully at her beautiful home in Santa Fe, New Mexico on December 17. Ellen was born in Roanoke, Virginia on September 5, 1952. She was predeceased by her parents, Bill and Betsy Watts of Roanoke and her husband, David Burke of Santa Fe.

Ellen, an artist, expressed herself in many creative ways throughout her life. She graduated with a Fine Arts Degree from SMU in Dallas, Texas, after which she established her own studio pottery business and taught ceramics in Dallas. She later moved to New York City and designed fabric for the fashion industry, working with textile mills in Italy. Thereafter she applied her talents to interior design in Fairfield, Connecticut. It was there that she met her husband, David, and began working with him, remodeling and redecorating homes in a special partnership that would span decades. Ellen and David moved to Santa Fe in 2006, where they both enthusiastically joined the artist community and Ellen rediscovered her connection with clay. She was a vital part of the Santa Fe clay community, and was a leader in her neighborhood planning. Ellen loved traveling and the outdoors; she was an avid skier and enjoyed hiking, birding, and rock climbing. She connected deeply with Santa Fe and found the love of many friends.

Ellen was a strong and gracious force. She accepted others without judgment and always provided honest and loving council to family and friends. She worked diligently to help wherever she saw the need, from moves to medical situations. Generous in countless ways, she was always encouraging, especially so with creative endeavors. She was someone who was always rooting for you. Ellen also truly loved connecting people and learning their stories. When faced with her own ALS diagnosis, she went about preparing for the inevitable in a thoughtful and practical way, keeping her sense of humor throughout. She took things one day at a time, enjoying the birds and her wonderful garden, and continued living in the moment with the support of family and friends.

Ellen will be greatly missed by all who loved and treasured her. She is survived by her stepdaughter, Haley Burke and her husband, Ivan Shumaker of San Francisco, California; her sister Katherine Watts and her husband, Dale McIvor of Roanoke, Virginia and Nantucket, Massachusetts; her sister Mary Watts Crutchfield and her husband, David Crutchfield, of Rockwall, Texas; her sister Margaret Watts Turpin of Beaufort, South Carolina; and her nieces and nephews William and Elizabeth McIvor, Will and John Crutchfield, Molly and Mary Virginia Turpin, and June and Michael McIvor.

A special thank you to the wonderful team that cared for Ellen the last years and months of her life.

A celebration of Ellen’s life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Santa Fe Food Depot, thefooddepot.org or the International Folk Art Market, one.bidpal.net/ifamdonate