Ellen Asherman (née Witenoff)

On Thursday, August 14, 2025, Ellen passed away peacefully with her daughters by her side at the age of 78. Predeceased by her devoted husband Stephen. Amazing mother of Rena and Andrea. Loving sister of Simon (Hester) and Aviva. Aunt and cousin to many in Montreal, Toronto, and Texas. Predeceased by her parents Pearl and Harry Witenoff and her in-laws Evelyn and William Asherman.

Ellen was born and raised in Montreal and moved to Ottawa with Stephen to start their new life together. She led an incredibly fulfilling and active life. She started her career as an occupational therapist, but after a few years, she made the change to work in retail. She put her love of knitting and cross-stitching to good use, sharing her expertise working at the Knitting Basket and the Cross-Stitch Cupboard.

Once she retired, she was able to devote more time to her crafts and her other passions, especially mahjong. It was not unusual for her to play at least a few days per week with her friends. Ellen was a talented baker and it brought her so much joy to share her creations with others. She was also renowned and sought after for her party sandwiches.

Music played a huge role in Ellen’s life. She devoted over 50 years to the Temple Israel choir, including serving as its director for many years. She also sang in other choirs and performed in several Orpheus Musical Theatre productions at Centrepointe Theatre.

Ellen loved animals, especially dogs. It was hard for her to pass up the opportunity to stop and say hello and make a new canine friend (spoiler alert – she never did). Her furry family members brought her great joy – Gus, Coco, Belle, Lola, Rosie, Maisie and Zeke, and she enjoyed spoiling them.

Ellen’s family meant the world to her and she gave her all to them. She was a caring, present and involved mother to “her girls”, as she called them. She never showed up empty-handed, usually with baked goods, bread or soup in tow. She was involved in their hobbies and sports, and would cheer them on from the stands with the loudest cowbell. She was very supportive and available to listen and offered meaningful advice in her calm and loving manner.

Ellen cherished her many, many friendships and never turned down an opportunity to socialize. She valued simple things like going to the theatre, walks in nature, flowers and plants, good food, a good chat, and a good party.

Ellen volunteered with several organizations over the years. It fulfilled her to help others and she was happy to share her time, energy, and skills. She loved contributing to the well-being of others. Ellen was a force of positivity with energy to spare; sitting idle was not something she enjoyed. She will be missed by so many.

Sincere thanks and gratitude to all the excellent medical personnel who cared for Ellen, including Dr. Beverly Johnson, Dr. Andrew Aw, Amanda Strandberg, the wonderful staff in the Day Care Unit on the 5th floor of the General Hospital, the ICU doctors and ICU nurses Paige, Tania, Ophelia, Syla and Jo. Funeral services will be held at Ottawa Chevra Kadisha (1771 Cuba Avenue, Ottawa) on Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at 11:00 am. Burial to follow at Jewish Memorial Gardens - Osgoode. Shiva will be observed at 733 Sherbourne Road on Tuesday, August 19th from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm and on Wednesday, August 20th from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. If you wish, please make a donation in Ellen's memory to the charity of your choice.