Eleanor Thompson Timberlake

"There was a different type of excitement as the Thompson family welcomed the newest member of the family, Eleanor “Ellie” on September 23, 1941 in Richmond, Virginia, as this baby girl had been preceded by four brothers. (Another brother was to follow nearly ten years later.)

As a member of the high school marching band, Ellie met Tim, a football star who wore argyle socks, in September of 1957. Three years later, they married at her father’s church in Richmond on July 23,1960.

Eleanor had an innate love of music, but chose to put her passion aside to pursue a long career as a school teacher. She received her teaching degree in elementary education from Virginia Union University in 1963, and her Masters degree, specializing in the study of the gifted and talented, from Johns Hopkins University in 1982. Ellie began her teaching career in Richmond at the Western Elementary School in 1963. After moving to the D.C. area in 1968, Ellie began teaching at Oxon Hill Elementary as the first and only African American on staff and at the school. Over the next thirty years, she taught at several schools in Prince George’s County, such as Paint Branch Elementary and Montpelier Elementary, where she taught for 15 years. In 1991, wanting to educate children in a more personalized manner and setting, Ellie opened a Kumon Center and tutoring company, Matrix, in Columbia, Maryland.

Over the course of ten years, Ellie and Tim welcomed three grandchildren: Maxwell, Haeden and Nieve, who affectionately called her “ya ya”. She often joked that she wanted to “kidnap” her grandchildren. From theater and music, to sports and Lego classes, she always encouraged her grandchildren to explore the world around them, and she unfailingly supported all of their endeavors.

Ellie loved being by the water, whether it be on a cruise, in South Beach, Florida or by the Chesapeake Bay. For over the span of three decades, she and her family spent many long weekends and summers’ days on the Chesapeake Bay, either sailing or motoring.

Upon her retirement in 2009 from Matrix, Ellie returned to her love of music. For the next fourteen years, she could be found, perched on the bench of her beloved organ or a local church organ, deftly playing hymns or pieces from her favorite composer: Bach. (The sheep were always grazing!)

Ellie's son, Troy, recalls her love of music and fondly remembers her playing the guitar and organ with her brother, Toussaint. He also recalls her trying to get him interested in many musical instruments in his youth but she finally found something that stuck to him: musical theater.

Ellie left the earth to play the “grand organ in the sky” on March 26, 2024.

Ellie was preceded in death by her parents Rev. George and Inez Thompson, and her brothers Dr. George Thompson, Edward Thompson, James Thompson, and Douglass Thompson.

She is survived by her husband, Tim; her son and daughter-in-law, Troy and Heidi; her three grandchildren, Max, Haeden and Nieve; and her “baby” brother Toussaint. "

A few videos of Ellie's organ playing on Youtube with her life-long love Tim recording:

Sheep May Safely Graze

https://youtu.be/-hUmHjkDEH4?si=HyCJb1CEA_byNSPI

I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In on Christmas Day (Traditional English melody) arr. Diane Bish

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M361-NhKNvc

Alle Menschen müssen sterben

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPeHPUDAp7U