Ashton Funeral Home

Obituaries

Gay Lee Elwell

December 3, 2012

The Honorable Gay Lee Elwell, 54, of Easton died Monday, December 3, 2012 in her home.

Born: May 22, 1958 in Sellersville, PA she was a daughter of Wanda Milligan Elwell and the late Herbert J. Elwell, Jr.  She and her husband Karl Stirner have shared 30 years together.

Personal: A 1976 graduate of Souderton High School, she was a foreign exchange student to Sweden during her senior year; she also attended Moravian College. She was a Magisterial District Judge in Easton since 1996. Prior to that she was employed as a reporter for the Morning Call newspaper.

Memberships: A member of the Special Court Judges Association of PA, she served as President of District Ten. She was also a member of the Pomfret Club, Easton; D.A.R.;  A.C.E. (the Arts Community of Easton); Easton Heritage Alliance; and a local book club. She was very active with the Easton House Tour and the Boy Scout’s career preparation program.

Survivors: Her mother: Wanda; her husband Karl; sisters: Merry E. Markland; Joy Lynne Rank; brothers: Herbert James Elwell, III; William E. Elwell; 5 nieces and nephews; 6 great-nieces and nephews; Karl’s children: Heather Nutting and her husband Mark; Noelle Stirner and her husband Philip Lauer; Jonas Stirner and 6 grandchildren. She was predeceased by a brother: Jonathan E. Elwell earlier this year.

Services:  Will be held 1 p.m. Sunday (12/9) in the Bank Street Annex, 316 Northampton St., Easton; with a viewing from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday in the Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton. Interment will be private in Easton Cemetery.

Memorial Contributions: May be made to the Center for Animal Health and Welfare, 1165 Island Park Rd.,  Easton 18042; or the Sigal Museum, 342 Northampton St., Easton, PA 18042 or the Easton Area Public Library, 515 Church St., Easton, PA 18042.

Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

11 condolences. Notify me of additional condolences.

  1. Christina Georgiou

    December 5, 2012 at 11:23 pm

    My heartfelt sympathies go out to those who were close to her. She will be missed. Her passing is not only Easton’s loss, but undoubtedly that too of all she encountered, by the passing of a noble spirit and a wonderful human being who did good in the world.

  2. Robert A. Nitchkey, Jr.

    December 6, 2012 at 11:06 am

    My sincere condolences to Karl and all of Gay’s family, and to her staff, all of whom I know loved and respected her. Having appeared before Judge Elwell many times over the years, I can attest that she was always approachable, personable and, inside of her Courtroom, tough but always fair. Our community has lost a wonderful human being and a dedicated civil servant! She will be sorely missed.

  3. MDJ Stephen J. Bayer

    December 6, 2012 at 12:40 pm

    Judge Elwell was a colleague and a friend, from all of us up in Schuylkill County our heartfelt sympathy to her husband, her extended family and her court family. Gay’s presence will greatly be missed by all.

  4. Joe and Nancy Radogna

    December 6, 2012 at 2:40 pm

    Our sincere condolences to Karl and all of Gay’s family.

  5. paul and jo-anne horvath

    December 6, 2012 at 11:00 pm

    Our deepest sympathy to Gay,s family… We are so honored to have her in our lives, so proud to have called her Friend.. our lives are a bit more empty now that you have gone. God will bless your beautiful soul. Thank you for being the beautiful person you are… God bless…..

  6. Mr. & Mrs. James Chrin

    December 7, 2012 at 4:37 am

    A deepest condolence to the Ewell and Stirner families. Gay touched our lives and will be missed.

    Many blessings,
    jackie and Jim

  7. Milton Mohr

    December 7, 2012 at 12:04 pm

    Mr. Stirner and family, please accept the comfort intended by my following prayer for you and your family at this time of grief: “ABBA, ABBA, my Heavenly Father, eternal source of all comfort and compassion, Father of my Lord Jesus Christ thank You for the soul of Gay and Your love shone through her soul during her 54 year earthly sojourn. May my Heavenly Father bless your family and community with comfort and compassion through His Son’s ministry. May He bless your family and community with strength and salvation through the ministry of His Holy Spirit. as you continue your earthly sojourns without Gay.

    Ms. Elwell has been a blessing to the Easton community for decades. We will certainly miss her contributions to our town.

    Humbly His Servant eternally,
    Milton Mohr

  8. Dan Ponzol

    December 8, 2012 at 2:01 pm

    I knew Gay when she was first hired by the Morning Call Bethlehem Office and worked with for several years. She was wonderful person and will be missed,

  9. scott bieber

    December 11, 2012 at 2:19 pm

    I knew Gay as fellow reporter with The Morning Call in the 1980s and she was always friendly and humorous and had a smile and a lively spirit, I haven’t seen her in years, and I am very saddened to know that she is gone from this world.

  10. Christine (Roedel) Henry

    December 21, 2012 at 9:54 pm

    My deepest sympathy to the Elwell family and Stirner family. I grew up with the Elwells in the small town of Tylersport, Pa and also having graduated with Gays sister Joy. Its sad to hear Gay has left this world. God bless you all!

  11. Keith Kriebel

    December 22, 2012 at 2:25 pm

    My sincere condolences to Gay’s family and friends. We were high school classmates in Souderton’s Class of 1976. In school Gay was always passionate, smart, witty and kind, and in reading the many news stories and blog entries about her over the past few weeks it appears that she remained that way and made a real impact in the lives of the many who knew her. She was taken much too soon.