Ellen Cool Kwait

Ellen lived a full life as an artist and a naturalist, as passionate about beauty as she was about science. After earning her Ph.D in Biology, Ellen established Stone Garden Designs, a landscape design company with an emphasis on masonry and the meticulous curation and composition of horticulture indigenous to New England. Ellen devoted nearly five decades to her garden in the historic district of Marblehead, where it will endure as an aspirational model of landscape creation. Along the way, she forged many strong friendships with kindred spirits that shared her love for all things creative. Ellen's aesthetic legacy lives and grows in countless other Massachusetts properties that she designed and enriched.

Above all things, Ellen loved her family. She met her husband, Andrew Kwait, M.D., in 1967, when the two were freshmen at Washington University in St. Louis. They were inseparable for 54 years, together raising two children, Dylan and Leni, in Marblehead. Dylan is a physician residing in Marblehead and Leni is a teacher residing in Providence. Ellen leaves an indelible mark on her four grandchildren: Aiden Jerome Kwait, Adeline Patricia Kwait, Shalom Cool Prystowsky, and Neshama Cool Prystowsky. She is survived by her husband, son, daughter, grandchildren, and three siblings, Adrienne, Mary Lee, and John.

A funeral service for Ellen will be held on Thursday, April 14, 2022 at 11:00AM at Stanetsky-Hymanson Memorial Chapel, 10 Vinnin Street, Salem, MA 01970. The service will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person. Interment will follow at Waterside Cemetery in Marblehead.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Caringbridge.org.

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