Ellen Harrison Springer (b. Ellen Greene Harrison), 82, passed away at home in Acworth early Wednesday morning, March 27, 2019. She was the daughter of the late John P. Harrison.
She was born in Columbus, Georgia and grew up across the Southeast, including Tennessee and Georgia. Ellen is reunited in Heaven with her beloved husband, Dan F. Springer, who preceded her in death one month prior, and is survived by their daughter Ellen (David Overdorf) Springer, son Dan Jr. (Carol) Springer, grandchildren Liz (Gabriel) Bodner, Lee (Morgan) Springer, Trey (Lauren) Springer, Steven Springer, and Sarah Springer, great-grandchildren Jackson and Remy Bodner, Jake and Eva Springer, and sister Alice Lawwill. She was predeceased by her sister Mary Virginia Harrisonranson and brother John Harrison, Jr. Ellen met Dan when she was 13 and he was 16, and their lifelong love story was the foundation of their family.
At her father’s insistence that she complete college before marrying, Ellen finished high school early and graduated from the University of Georgia at the age of 19, with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After 6 years of dating, Ellen and Dan were married a week before her 20th birthday, on June 23, 1956, on top of Lookout Mountain. After their wedding, Dan and Ellen moved to Naples, Italy, where he was on assignment with the U.S. Navy.
From Italy, Ellen and Dan moved to Detroit, where their two children were born. In 1961, the family returned home to Atlanta, and Ellen continued to devote herself to her family as a full-time wife and mother. She proudly served as a Girl Scout Leader and PTA President.
During that time, Dan was assigned to several special projects for work, and the whole family spent a year in London, England and a summer in Burbank, California. In 1971, they purchased Moss Marina in Ft. Myers Beach, Florida, and the family lived and worked there until 1977, during which time Ellen ran the Marina Parts Department.
She was also an avid sailor, and raced sailboats as a member of the Caloosahatchee Marching and Chowder Society. Following the sale of the Marina, the family spent a summer sailing in the Bahamas on their sailboat, Springtime. Shortly after, Dan and Ellen started their own sailboat building business, Commodore Yachts, which they owned and ran together from 1979 to 1988.
Always true partners, Ellen worked alongside Dan in all aspects of the business, molding fiberglass and sewing cushions, in addition to administering the office. After Commodore, they both worked with their son in their son’s company, Mainbrace Technologies, for 3 years, before returning to Atlanta in 1991. Back in Atlanta, Ellen settled into an active retirement, and focused on spending time with her grandchildren and her friends, and on hobbies, including refinishing antique furniture, needlepoint, water aerobics, and the Red Hat Society.
Among a number of other antique vehicles over the years, she and Dan bought and restored a ’71 GMC motor home and a ’67 Sunbeam Alpine, and were proud members of both the Dixielanders motor home club and the Sunbeam owners’ club for many years, for which they attended numerous rallies along the East Coast. Ellen and Dan would have celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary this year, and cherished their family above all their other accomplishments. Ellen was always driven, intelligent, adventurous, and independent.
She prided herself on living life on her own terms and defying expectations. She made a point to always pass on important life lessons to her children and grandchildren, whether on manners, relationships, respect, hard work, family roots, or history. Ellen was a matriarch in the truest sense, loved and admired for her strength and conviction of character.
Ellen lived a full life, always supporting and sharing adventures with her dearest Dan, and shaping the family and legacy they made together. She lives on in her 2 children, 5 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren, who will remember her as their beloved Mom and Granny. Services will be held at 2pm on Sunday, April 7th, at Mayes Ward-Dobbins funeral home in Marietta, with visitation at 1pm.
She will be laid to rest at Georgia National Cemetery on Monday, April 8th. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Ellen Harrison Springer please visit our Sympathy Store.
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