Ellen Elizabeth Morrical, 67, teacher and school administrator, died at her home from complications of pancreatic cancer on Friday, Jan. 25, 2008.
Ellen was born June 19, 1940, in Camden, N.J., the daughter of Keron Caldwell and Dorothy Evans Morrical. She was raised in St. Louis and graduated from Ladue High School in 1958. Ellen was active in school sports and student leadership. She spent many happy summers in Colorado as a camp counselor. It was there that she began a love affair with the mountains and the outdoors. She developed an early affinity for animals, loved to ride her own horse and was never without her dog.
Ellen spent her working life as a teacher and school administrator. She earned her B.A. degree in psychology at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., and her master's degree at the University of Wyoming at Laramie in 1964. She received the Letter of Commendation from Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne in 2000.
She first taught school in Sunnyvale, Calif., then at the Gooding, Idaho, State School for the Blind. She came to Wood River Junior High School in 1974, where she taught English and social studies. She became head teacher at Hailey Elementary School in 1976, and then served as principal and school administrator from 1988 until her retirement in 2000.
Ellen had numerous hobbies and interests focused on her love of nature, the mountains and animals. She was an avid hiker, skier, biker and scuba diver, diving in New Zealand and the Caribbean. She was also a serious collector with many interests, including art, sculptures (especially animals), seashells from around the world, Christmas ornaments and more. She was a voracious reader, but always was grounded in her love for "her kids."
She was honored in the Wood River Journal in 1997 in the business and professional women's feature, and in a Times News article, "Meeting at Camp Morrical," in 2000. The library at the Hailey Elementary School was dedicated as the "Ellen Morrical Library" on May 2, 1992.
Ellen first came to Sun Valley to ski in 1969, and she knew this area was a "special place" and stayed. She has been an inspiration and mentor to generations of kids over 30 years of teaching. She was the daughter and granddaughter of teachers and education was in her blood. Throughout a difficult illness she maintained a positive, "can-do" approach to life. Last fall, she hiked to "Shangri-La" at Saddleback Lakes while worried, able-bodied friends waited for her at the bottom. Ellen was a true professional who loved her job and the people around her—the teachers, kids, parents and wonderful friends.
Ellen is survived by her brothers, John (Karen) Morrical of Carmel, Ind., and their children, Ann-Marie Deets and John K. Morrical Jr., and Richard C. (JoAnne) Morrical of Davenport, Iowa, and their children, Heather Morrical and Gregory Morrical. Her parents preceded her in death.
A reception in her honor will be held at the Blaine County Senior Center from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 30, and a memorial service will be scheduled in June around her birthday. Cremation took place under the care of Wood River Chapel of Hailey.
