Elinor Stephenson Ross

Ross

Elinor Stephenson Ross, 98, of Shepherdstown, WV, passed away peacefully at her home on September 17, 2025.

Born in Meridian, MS, on July 14, 1927, she was the daughter of David L. and Maylene (Campbell) Stephenson. After graduating from Meridian High School at the age of 16, she worked until her marriage to Sherman H. Ross of Stiltner, WV, in January 1946. She continued to work in the early years of their marriage as a bookkeeper and administrative assistant in both public and private organizations. The couple moved to Connecticut while Sherman attended Yale University, beginning a union that lasted nearly 71 years until his passing in December 2016. Together, they lived and traveled throughout the United States, Europe, Africa, and Asia, while Sherman served as a Foreign Service officer.

After moving to Shepherdstown in 1977, Elinor and Sherman immersed themselves in community life, volunteering with Meals on Wheels, Friends of Music, the Millbrook Orchestra, the Shepherdstown Community Club, the National Conservation Training Center, and even at the White House.

A lifelong lover of bridge, Elinor was the top scorer as recently as the week before her passing. She cherished her many friendships and delighted in sharing stories gathered over the course of her long and remarkable life. Known for her youthful spirit, she often amused others by revealing her age and was tickled when people mistook her for her daughter’s sister rather than her mother.

Family was the center of Elinor’s world. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her love, care, and compassion extended not only to her immediate family but also to friends, neighbors, her children’s and grandchildren’s companions, and the many animals who became part of the household. She was, in every sense, the heart of her family.

Elinor is survived by her daughters, Maylene Reisbig (R. Luther, deceased) and Laurie Ross (Charles Wieland); five grandchildren, Katharine and Kerrick Reisbig, and Eleanor, Duncan, and Lillian Wieland; and one great-grandson, Lucien Reisbig. She also leaves behind many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her son, Glenn “Stephen” Stephenson Ross, and her brothers, David Milton and Claude Gerald Stephenson.

Services will be private at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Elinor’s honor to SAIL (Shepherdstown Area Independent Living), P.O. Box 2091, or to Shepherdstown Shares, P.O. Box 1780, Shepherdstown, WV 25443.

Elinor’s legacy lives on in the countless lives she touched, and she will be dearly missed by all who knew her. Condolences may be expressed at www.eackles-spencerfuneralhome.com.