Eleanor Faith (Chumard) Green

Oct. 10, 1931 - Sept. 16, 2026

Eleanor Faith “Ellie” Green (nee Chumard) of Knoxville died at home Wednesday, Sept. 16, just 3 weeks shy of her 95th birthday. Born in State College, Pennsylvania to Frank and Reba (Bartleson) Chumard, Ellie grew up on a dairy farm in the Poconos during the Depression. Her father’s huckster route plus an extensive garden & orchard saved the family during these hard times. Raised in the Methodist church & later married in her home church in Hamlin, Pa (which she had helped rebuild as a teenager after it burned) she was an active member of Memorial United Methodist Church in Clinton for nearly 50 years, where she sang in the church choir.

In her later years while experiencing memory loss, she sang with the wonderful Hearts Sing Chorus here in Knoxville, a music program by Alzheimers Tennessee.

After losing her father as a teenager, and her mother to a nursing home, Ellie chose to attend Nursing School in State College assisted by her older half-sister. After graduating as an RN from Moses Taylor Nursing School, Ellie embarked on a wildly adventurous life that initially meant nursing in NYC and San Francisco, a destination reached by early 1950’s cross-country/ camping road trip with a carload of her Nursing Buddies, with whom she stayed lifelong friends.

While nursing in Connecticut, she was asked to dance by a dapper Navy man from East Tennessee. Yes, she “met a man from Tennessee and he was headed for…Pennsylvania & some homemade pumpkin pie” as the old song goes. Ellie and Charles Green (of Madisonville) married and settled in Dayton, Ohio where Charles then joined the Air Force. Many Green family members had re-settled in Dayton so they were happily surrounded by family. Adventurous Air Force relocations to Guam and Okinawa followed, and they took advantage of Space Available travel on military cargo planes to see the world. Ellie always worked, and her nurse’s training came in very handy while living on remote islands in the Pacific experiencing unique & diverse cultures. While Charles & Ellie had grown their family by then to include Tess & Kelli, they decided to adopt their beloved son, James, from Korea when he was 4 years old. Relocation to Bordentown, NJ followed which happily allowed Ellie to be close to her own family in the Poconos for the first time, all of whom she outlived. Winter Park, Florida came next as they cheerfully moved back to a land of sunshine & beaches.

Ellie and Charles’ next relocation in 1977 to Clinton, Tennessee, after Charles took a job at Oak Ridge, would begin the final chapter in their lives. Ellie began her long career as a Public Health Nurse in the Clinton office then, surrounded by wonderful work colleagues & neighbours. About this time, with children grown, her Nurse Buddies from Moses Taylor began taking an annual trip together to fun spots around the East Coast, rooming together again, reconnecting & supporting one another. Ellie was famous among her children for her ability to make a fabulous hot dinner out of just leftovers, and she did not cook on Sundays as it was the day of rest. She instilled a great sense of hard work & independence in her children, as well as a love of books, gardening & animals. Perhaps her greatest joy was that 2 of her grand-daughters plus a beloved niece followed her into Nursing, all working to become Nurse Practioners.

Ellie & Charles moved into a townhouse in West Knoxville as retirement loomed, finally freed from endless yardwork, and just kept up a small garden. Their love of travelling continued with frequent road trips to see Tess and her family in British Columbia, Kelli and crew in Iowa and points West, and Jim in San Diego, Hawaii, and eventually Japan, with his family. Time spent with family & friends, and road trips, were their favourite things. Ellie was a kind, thoughtful & joyous person to be around, almost childlike in her curiosity & wonder at the world around her. She was always in charge of fireworks at the annual Green family 4th of July picnic in Madisonville, often roping in the younger nieces & nephews to help out. She talked to people & made friends wherever she went. A fiery redhead, Ellie was all heart & she kept going on heart alone long after her body might have otherwise quit. We will miss her terribly, but will continue on upon the foundations she so ably set for us all.

Ellie is preceded in death by her parents, all 5 of her siblings and their spouses: Lt Col Bob Chumard & wife Terry Rees (who was tragically killed in the OKC Bombing); Ted Chumard (Emma), Phyllis Nash (Dick), and Isabel Patterson (Joe), all of Lake Ariel, Pa; and Geary Chumard (Marjory) of Middletown, NY. She outlived all of her Nursing Buddies and her beloved husband, Charles. As well, in-laws Roseman Kilcrease (New Carlisle, OH); Alfred Green, Jerry Michael Green, and Helen Green (Madisonville). Ellie is survived by her son James Green (Sonomi) of Tokyo; daughters Dr. Kelli Green (Dr. Glenn Gholston) of Knoxville; and Tess Green (Dr. Alan Barnard) of British Columbia, Canada; step-daughters Alegra Spille (Dave) of Florence, KY; and Alicia Fugitt (Bob) of Sweetwater; grandchildren Kaito Green, William & Sofia Gholston-Green, Wyatt Barnard, Ashley Spille, and Allison Rex; as well as 6 great-grandchildren; beloved brothers-in-law Roy Green (Alphea) and Lewis “Buddy” Green (Joan) of Madisonville, Bob Kilcrease of New Carlisle, OH, and Belva Green of Dayton, OH.

The family wishes to gratefully thank Ellie’s caregivers, Miss Vicki and Miss Sarah in particular (among many others) and Smoky Mountain Hospice for their loving ministrations to our mother; to WellPark and NHC- Farragut for their exceptional care & dedication; to Hearts Sing for their wonderful work; and neighbours, friends and family who enriched Ellie’s life in so many different ways. Anyone wishing to make a donation in Ellie’s name might consider: Memorial United Methodist Church in Clinton, the Mt. Hope Good Shepard Clinic in Gatlinburg, and the Arbor Day Foundation. Or simply plant a tree.

A Celebration of Life for Ellie will be held Saturday, Oct. 3 at Holley-Gamble Funeral Home in Clinton. Visitation from 3-5pm, and Service at 5pm.

“None deserve a gentler crossing over the great divide”

Holley Gamble Funeral Home is proud to serve the Green family. www.holleygamble.com.