Marie Lorraine (Swenson) Ellis, 85, of Newport, NH, passed away peacefully at home on May 24, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. Marie was born to her parents, Grace Blades and Edward Swenson, on October 29th, 1940, in Boston, MA. After high school, Marie met and married the love of her life, Sidney Ellis.

Marie and her family moved to Newport in 1961, where she spent the rest of her life raising her family, owning the local IGA grocery store, working within the Newport school system, and eventually becoming a compassionate caregiver to many members of the community.

Marie is survived by her devoted daughters, Lorry (Ellis) Collier and her husband, Ernie, and Daphne Ellis. She was a proud and loving grandmother to Nicole (Ellis) Chambers and her husband, Brian; Nathan Collier; Jennifer (Collier) Harthan and her husband, Tom; Christine Collier; and Alisabeth Collier. She was also the cherished great-grandmother of Sydney Quinn Carey, who was truly the light of the family. Marie is further survived by her sister, Leona Gregoire, and her beloved cat, Kiki, who will deeply miss her.

Marie was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Sidney and her beloved son, Larry.

Marie had an amazing sense of humor and a quick wit that could brighten any room. She loved spending time with her family, and gathering everyone together for birthdays and holidays was one of her greatest joys in life. She especially loved tending to her gardens and found the most happiness in creating her beautiful lily gardens. Marie also enjoyed listening to and watching the birds, especially hummingbirds, and loved sharing her appreciation for nature with others. During her time in Florida, she developed a deep passion for sea turtles and devoted herself to learning about them and educating everyone she met about their importance to our environment and the vital role they play in our world.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the compassionate staff of BAYADA Hospice of Vermont for the exceptional care, comfort, and support they provided to Marie and her family.

The family will hold a private memorial service at a later date. Assisting the family with arrangements is the Cremation Society of NH, Boscawen. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Marie’s memory to the Sea Turtle Preservation Society address:

Sea Turtle Preservation Society

111 S Miramar Avenue

Indialantic, FL 32903

To view Marie’s Online Tribute, send condolences to the family, or for more information, visit www.csnh.com.