Eleanor A. (Durant) Plouffe, 95, of Gardner, passed away surrounded by family on Friday, February 20, 2026, at Holy Trinity Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, in Worcester. She was known as Ellie, to all who loved her.

Born in Leominster on July 12, 1930, Ellie was the daughter of the late Kenneth and Florence (Russell) Durant. She was a proud member of the Leominster High School Class of 1949. At the time of her graduation, Ellie aspired to be a working girl, with her sight set on securing a secretarial position. She achieved this goal. Ellie dedicated many years of service as the receptionist to the president of New England Wooden Ware in Gardner, where she was known for her professionalism, warm presence, and welcoming voice. When you called NEWW, it was Ellie who greeted you. She became known as the "Voice of New England Wooden Ware" retiring at the age of 82.

Ellie was a devoted parishioner of Annunciation Parish at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church. She cherished time spent at social gatherings with friends, where she was surrounded by laughter, good company, and good food. She especially enjoyed ice cream and loved visiting Kimball Farms in Lancaster or Jaffrey NH. Ellie was committed to maintaining good physical health and mental well-being. She was a long-time member of Silver Sneakers, enjoying exercise classes, Zumba, long walks, and her practice of Yoga. The owners of Zen Yoga and Wellness studio honored Ellie's dedication by making her a lifetime member as she was their oldest practitioner, an honor Ellie fully embraced. She had a love for reading, shopping, and watching movies on the Hallmark Channel. She had a flair for fashion, lipstick on, hair and nails done to perfection. She got tremendous joy when she was in the presence of dogs, especially her "grand" dogs. She had a fulfilling life, recognizing that time spent making memories with family and good friends is what truly mattered.

Ellie is survived by three daughters: Allison Shields and her husband Stephen, of Yarmouth Port, Julie Mann and her husband Peter, of Gardner, Tammy Roscoe and her partner Larry Thompson, of Westminster. In addition, she remained close to her "Fresh Air Fund" daughter, Anne Stivanello, from New York. She was blessed to have four grandchildren, Paige Moses and her husband Nick, Carley Walsh and her partner Cesar Herrera, Noah Shields and his wife Alexandria Gomez, Jack Roscoe, and one great-grandson due in May 2026. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews, including Lana Fred and Lucinda Priest , who stayed close throughout her life.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 62 years, Clifford Plouffe, and her son-in-law Robert Walsh. She and her husband were kind, caring and compassionate people, welcoming many individuals into their home as a place of refuge when times were hard. In doing so, they taught their daughters to do the same and to treasure the close relationship they have with each other.

Ellie wanted a small gathering of family and friends to remember her as she enters eternal life. Graveside Services will take place Thursday, March 12, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. in the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 111 Glenallen Street, Winchendon, MA.

Her daughters would like to thank the staff at Broadview Assisted Living in Winchendon, Holy Trinity Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Worcester and Brookhaven Hospice in Marlborough Massachusetts for rendering care that was grounded in compassion, knowledge, and a genuine love for elders.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Gardner Animal Shelter, c/o Gardner Police Department, 200 Main Street, Gardner, MA 01440 or to Holy Family Academy, 99 Nichols Street, Gardner, MA 01440. Please reference in memory of Ellie A. Plouffe.