Ellen Ruhamah Durfee, 72, of 18879 E. Cole Road, Meadville, passed away Thursday, Aug. 7, 2008, at Meadville Medical Center from complications of Parkinson’s disease.

She was born on Jan. 21, 1936, in Meadville, a daughter of Walter W. Jennes and Louise I. Shaw Jennes.

She attended school in Cleveland, Ohio, Guys Mills, Conneaut Lake and Saegertown, and attended classes at Edinboro University.

Mrs. Durfee worked at Saegertown Components, Saegertown Middle School, Bethesda Youth Home, Meadville City Hospital, Dr. Zehner’s office and Meadville YMCA. She and her husband owned and operated Excellent Tool from which she retired five years ago.

Time spent with family and friends was very important to her. She attended Church of the Nazarene in Meadville. Ellen also enjoyed attending Conneautville Camp Meeting. She loved her dogs (taking them to dog obedience training), attending art workshops, weaving, sewing and crafts. She was an accomplished artist, specializing in watercolor and oil painting. Ellen also loved the Crawford County Fair and entering her paintings, winning many ribbons.

Ellen is survived by her husband, David, of 54 years; two sons, David Durfee Jr. and his wife, Norma, of Meadville, and Dennis Durfee and his wife, Kim, of New Castle; a daughter, Dawn Edwards and her husband, August, of Centerville; nine grandchildren, DeAnna Runyan and her husband, Jason, Devon Durfee, David Durfee III, Danielle Durfee, Katherine Roche and her husband, Matthew, Laura White and her husband, Lyndol, Deborah Durfee, Benjamin Durfee and Jessica Durfee; four stepgrandchildren Paul Urbanick, Jill Haemer, Sandra Clark and Amy Warren; two great-granddaughters, Grace and Madison Runyan; a great-grandson, Ryan Roche; and seven stepgreat-grandchildren, Patrick, Kenny and Emily Dunn, Breanna, Hannah and Savanna Urbanick, and Lyla Warren. She is further survived by her brothers and sisters including Patricia Swidas, Walter Jennes, Autumn Brink, Kathy Luikart, Gary Jennes and Sandra Dean.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Family and friends are invited to call Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. and Monday from 10 to 11 a.m. at Stephen P. Mizner Funeral Home & Cremation Services Inc., 404 Chestnut St., Meadville, where the funeral will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday, with the Rev. Rodney A. Johnson, pastor of Church of the Nazarene, officiating.

Interment will take place in Kingsley Cemetery, Townville.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Parkinson’s Support Group at Wesbury United Methodist Retirement Community, Attention: David Vananzi, Adult Day Care, 31 Park Ave., Meadville, Pa. 16335; or to the National Parkinson Foundation Inc., Office of Development, 1501 N.W. Ninth Ave./Bob Hope Road, Miami, Fla. 33136-1494.