Help Lydia Ellison Rebuild Home After Catastrophic Fire

On Father’s Day, June 16, the Ellisons lost their family home in a catastrophic fire. Gratefully, the family members (and pets) who had gathered for this Father’s Day celebration were able to escape just as the flames were engulfing the family room. But the 93-year-old matriarch, Lydia Ellison, who was being cared for in her home by family members, lost everything. This fundraiser will go towards meeting immediate recovery needs, including cleanup of the property site.

Lydia is a kind, generous, gentle soul who has given much to her community and to the world. Along with her husband – a Korean War veteran and one of the first African-Americans appointed as a foreign service officer in the 1950s – she raised a lovely family of four while on postings in Europe, Africa and Asia. Trained as a social worker, she was active in the charities of the Catholic Church, taught English, and instilled in her children her sense of faith, commitment to education, and love of music. Always a warm and welcoming hostess, Lydia had continued to host weekly gatherings in her home up until the Sunday of the fire. It is heartbreaking to see a lifetime of collected memories and hard-earned stability come crashing down.

Many have asked how they can help, which is why we are setting up this GoFundMe account to support the next stages of recovery and rebuilding efforts. The family and their close friends would like to express their immense gratitude for any support you can provide.

note: GoFundMe has a small transaction fee of approx. 3%. They also ask for a tip which you can adjust using a slider function.