WENHAM - Eleanor "Elly" Ernst Thompson, 89, of Wenham, passed away on December 12, 2019 at home in the company of her family and friends.

Elly was predeceased by John, her husband of 56 years. She will be deeply missed by her children - Bill Thompson and wife Natalie Pangaro of Jamaica Plain, Holly Thompson and husband Bob Pomeroy of Kamakura, Japan, Pam Thompson and husband Peter Jeffries of Hyde Park, and Emily Thompson and husband Chris Lathrop of North Andover. She is also survived by her five grandchildren - Dexter Thompson-Pomeroy, Isabel Thompson-Pomeroy, Ailsa Jeffries, Julian Lathrop, and Zoë Lathrop. Her sister, Dorrie Bean of Concord, also survives her.

Elly's friendships were deep and long-lived. She made lasting impressions and connections with family, extended family and friends. She was up for any adventure and new experiences, and loved her many communities.

Born in West Newton and raised in Wellesley, Elly attended Wellesley High School and graduated from the Walnut Hill School in 1947. She earned her bachelor's degree in economics from Mount Holyoke College, Class of 1951. From 1951 until 1957, she worked at the Federal Reserve Bank in Boston and moved to Wenham in 1957, where she managed her husband's dental practice. There, she and John made friends for life.

Elly was the director of the Wenham Museum from 1976 until her retirement in 1998. While there, she developed children's education programs, led research efforts into the history of the Claflin-Richards House, and earned the museum certification from the American Alliance of Museums. Under her leadership the museum became a significant cultural presence on the North Shore. Her enduring achievement was the renovation and expansion of the museum, completed in 1997. Her favorite memories from the museum are of dear friends and colleagues-her second family.

In 2001 she began work at the Endicott College Archives, another position that brought her joy, purpose and new friends.

Elly volunteered for Mount Holyoke College as a scribe, class agent and club treasurer. In the 1960s she was active at the Mass Audubon Society's Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary. For the Town of Wenham, she served on the Conservation Commission, Finance and Advisory Board, and on many ad hoc committees working for the future of the town's buildings and infrastructure.

A member of two book groups, Elly read broadly and critically, and she loved to travel with friends and family, both throughout New England and in Asia, Africa and Europe. Though a world traveler, Elly's favorite place was Bear Island on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, where she spent every summer of her life at a camp built by her beloved grandfather, William Puffer. This was her cathedral.

ARRANGEMENTS: Elly's memorial service and reception will be held at The First Church, 1 Arbor Street, Wenham on Saturday, March 28th at 11:00 A.M. Assisting the family with the arrangements is the Peterson-O'Donnell Funeral Home, 167 Maple St., (Rte. 62) Danvers. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Elly's memory to the Wenham Museum ( https://www.wenhammuseum.org/ ), the Lakes Region Conservation Trust ( https://lrct.org/ ) or the Essex County Greenbelt ( https://ecga.org/ ). To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit www.odonnellfuneralservice.com .