Obituary of Wesleen "Ellen" King

Wesleen Ellen King – November 22, 1939 - June 28, 2025

Wesleen “Ellen” King, a resident of Chatham, Guelph and London, passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 28, 2025 at Victoria hospital in London, Ontario surrounded by her family.

Ellen was born in Chatham on November 22, 1939, the daughter of the late Alton and Ruth King.

Ellen is survived by her two sisters, Sandra and her husband Tom Kendall of Point Edward and Elizabeth Buschemeyer of Toronto.Ellen is predeceased by her brothers James “Jim” King (2016) and Martin “Marty” King (2024) of Chatham and Lawrence King (2025) of Leamington.

Ellen was a loving Mom to her three children: Audrey (Gord), Lauri (Claude), and Mark (Laurie). She lived for family and wanted to always be around her grandchildren and great grandchild: Erica (Matt), Natalie, Claire, Kierin, Gavin, Amy, and Emmett; to see them grow and flourish and to share in their talents and love of life. Though in a wheelchair in her final days, Ellen would enjoy viewing pictures or videos if the grandchildren could not come to her. She was proud of them all.

From 2018 to 2025 Ellen was a resident at the Dearness Home in London, where she was cared for lovingly by the nursing, PSW, and support staff. Many thanks to all who cared for her, who will remember Ellen’s gentle side, but also her wit, as it oftentimes made you laugh or set you straight. Prior to 2018, she had participated in the Adult Day Program there once a week, and became familiar with the kind staff and surroundings, thus making it an easy fit for her to make Dearness her home.

Ellen was an RN who graduated from the St. Joseph’s School of Nursing in 1961. Though she chose to give up nursing to raise her 3 children, she never stopped being a nurse, and kept in touch with her classmates, whom she loved. Though not possible to attend all of her class reunions, her children made it possible for her to attend her last 3 including this past May 7, 2025. All of her classmates are angels and it was a joy for her children to take her to be with them, even if only once a year.

Ellen enjoyed many forms of art.

She was so gifted in her ability to sketch and paint. While this became harder in her later years, she still appreciated a nice work of art when she saw it. She loved the beauty in nature including flowers and animals and she could still dazzle her family with her amazing penmanship and sketches on Birthday and Christmas cards. This artistic talent is so evident in her children and grandchildren who excel at painting, sketching, sculpting, crocheting, knitting, sewing, decorating and design.

Ellen loved music and fostered this love of music with her family. She loved to hear her children and grandchildren sing or play their instruments (cello, violin, piano, flute, saxophone and guitar). She enjoyed singing the sacred selections she knew when she was in the choir at St. Joseph’s Church in Chatham, or Anglican hymns that she learned growing up. She also loved to sing tunes from The Aristocats, as she was an avid cat-lover. It was most enjoyable when she could sing or listen to her family play their instruments outdoors in the warmth and nourishment of the sunshine.

Friends and relatives may visit at the Hinnegan-Peseski Funeral Home Ltd., 156 William St. S. Chatham from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM on Monday July 7, 2025. 

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday July 8, 2025 at 11:00 AM in St. Joseph's Church.  

LIVESTREAM for the Mass CLICK HERE

Burial of ashes  will follow in Maple Leaf Cemetery.

Flowers are welcome, but in lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to the London Consistory Club

(https://www.facebook.com/London.Consistory.Club), to Pet and Wildlife Rescue (PAWR; https://pawr.org/) or to the Chatham or London Food Bank.