Obituary
Our dearly beloved mother and grandmother, Eleanor E. Witham, Ph.D. (“Dr. Ellie) born July 24, 1933, in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, passed peacefully at home in New Smyrna Beach, Jan. 23, 2023, surrounded by family and loved ones. She was dearly loved by all who knew her, and she cherished her family and friends. She was a self-made woman who was always researching and reading and believed in life-long learning of all kinds. Previously she owned and operated her own private school for young children in Tidewater, Virginia, which she built from the ground up with sheer will and determination based on her love for children and education. She traveled all over the world, including the far East and Europe, and throughout United States. Her favorite place was San Diego, California. After retiring and moving to New Smyrna Beach, in 1992, she had her own private counseling practice for 30 years. She was a long-time member of the Edgar Cayce Foundation (ARE) in Virginia Beach. Her love and goodness touched many lives.
Ellie is pre-deceased by her mother, Mary Spruill, two brothers, Edward and Irvin, and two sisters, Mary Faye and Carol Lee. She is survived by daughters: Sandra Witham, Lakeland, Georgia; Dianne Trayer, South Daytona; and Donna Huntington, Edgewater, Florida. She has seven grandchildren: Dallas Trayer, Lindsey Huntington, James Staten, Drew Trayer, Dustin Huntington, Randy Huntington and Alexandra Witham. She has 8 great grandchildren. She leaves behind her brother, Kenneth Spruill, and sisters Marjorie Fritzius and Martha Schnelker, She loved her family dearly.
Our mother (aka Elliemom) is loved so very much and is missed greatly. She leaves behind a legacy of love and strength.
There will be a Celebration of Life held for immediate family members at 1806 Bayview Drive, New Smyrna Beach, on Sunday, March 5, 2023. Immediately following at 2:00 p.m., friends and dear ones are invited to pay their respects and visit with family members.
Sincerely
Heather Moreland
Patricia Moreland
It has been over two months now since you passed, Mom. My world is still shattered. I am changed forever. I have dreams of you or things that represent you, always containing brilliant colors or signs of your happiness, so I know you are okay. I know you are so glad to be free of your physical body. I am still at the point where I cannot talk about you without crying, as I just I miss you so very much. I don't want to get into regrets about things I wish I had said or done differently, because it only makes me the sadder. But I am so grateful that I was able to spend the last months of your life with you. As your furniture and belongings go, it is like a piece of me goes with each thing, but I know we can't hold on to everything, and you wouldn't want it that way. How many times did you say, "You can't take it with you!" But I miss you terribly, mom, and am so appreciative of the legacy you left behind for all of us. What a teacher you always were and still are! I just want you to know that you touched so many lives in so many ways, and every one of us in this family, and your many friends, feel so blessed to have had you in our lives. You are such a model for us to live up to, and in the end, hopefully pass your legacy of love and strength and resilience to others. I love you forever and always, Dee
Thank you for being there for me whenever I needed you. Thank you for being there entirely yourself and yet a part of me. I love you so much.
Your sister,
Margie
Mom in San Diego , where she always felt such positive energy and promise. My mother did some amazing things in her life,
raised three daughters on her own , established her own business, moved us all to San Diego for a few years to re establish her life, and brought us all to Florida so her family would always be around her and began her career in psychology. She traveled the world. and was absolutely the best grandmother AKA Ellie Mom, anyone could ever have. Thank you Mama . We LOVE You!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So Eleanor's life has not ended. she has simply changed from human to spirit form and is gone to be with Devine Energy, God, The Universe, Heaven, whatever you'd like to call it. It's a Place of Peace, Pure Joy, Eternal Love, and NO ego.
I want to say THANK YOU Eleanor, for Donna…she's pretty AMAZING.