Ellen Leslie Quaintance

Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2024, at the age of 70. Her passing has left a deep

void in the hearts of all who knew and loved her, but her legacy of compassion, caring,

courage, and commitment will endure.

Born on November 12, 1954, at the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville,

Ellen grew up in Culpeper, where she graduated from Culpeper High School in 1973. In

1980, just months after miraculously surviving a life-altering head-on collision caused by

a drunk driver, she achieved a remarkable milestone as one of the first women to

graduate from the Virginia State Police Academy. Despite the severe physical injuries

sustained in the accident, many of which plagued her throughout her life, she

persevered and joined the ranks of the Virginia State Police, serving as a Virginia State

Trooper for five years. Her tenure as a trooper is a testament to her courage and

resolve, as well as her willingness to break barriers and her desire to serve the public.

She spent the remainder of her career at the National Science Foundation (NSF), a

career defined by her leadership, conscientiousness, and insightful contributions to the

organization’s mission. While at the NSF, she earned a degree in government and

politics from George Mason University in 1993. In 2014 she retired from the NSF and

relocated to Culpeper, where she dedicated several years to the care of her mother.

A woman of faith, strength, and boundless compassion, Ellen was deeply committed to

her family and friends. She was fiercely independent but profoundly loyal, balancing her

tenacity with a caring heart. Her wit and wisdom, paired with a natural humility, often led

others to underestimate her—but those who truly knew her understood the depth of her

capabilities and the strength of her convictions.

Her love for animals was a reflection of her tender spirit. She gave her whole heart to

the creatures in her care, finding joy and solace in their companionship.

Ellen will be remembered as a trailblazer, a devoted friend, a doting aunt, and a

steadfast presence in the lives of those who were fortunate enough to know her. Her life

was a testament to the power of faith, integrity, compassion, and perseverance.

She is survived by her two brothers, R. Wilson Quaintance, III (Karen), and Kemper A.

Quaintance, her sister, Susan Quaintance Ferguson (Roy), five nephews, and five great

nieces and nephews.

The family will receive visitors December 13 from 6pm – 8pm at Clore-English Funeral

Home. Services will be held at the Clore-English chapel on December 14 at 1pm with

interment immediately following at Fairview Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be sent to: Billy Graham

Evangelistic Association (https://giving.billygraham.org/) Dogs4Diabetics

(https://ourdogssavelives.org/support/donate/) or Breakthrough T1D

(https://www2.breakthrought1d.org/site/Donation2?2376.donation=form1&df_id=2376&mfc_pref=T).