Obituary for Brendan James Ellsworth
Pisgah Forest - Brendan James Ellsworth passed away on March 23, 2022, at the age of 41, at Greenville Memorial Hospital, Greenville, SC. He passed after an arduous but brave seven year battle with a very rare form of liver cancer.
Brendan, better known to some as BJ, was born in Hamilton, NY to Sharon Smith Goodson. Though a native New Yorker, he moved to Asheville, NC at the age of eighteen and has been a resident of Brevard, NC since 2012.
Brendan honorably served as Specialist E-4 in the United States Army 2009 – 2012. After completing his service, he obtained his master’s degree in Online Education from American Military University. He was an assisting supervising teacher at Brevard Middle School working with Exceptional Children. Brendan was passionate about his work and often commented on the gratification, comfort, and enjoyment he received from his students. Brendan received the Teacher Assistant of the Year Award for 2019-2020 for his dedication and devotion to his student and BMS.
He was a deeply talented soul who played guitar, created art, and wrote poetry. To know Brendan was to know his twisted sense of humor and his appreciation of the ironic. He had an infectious laugh. He was a complex thinker and truth-seeker, who would not refrain from challenging his perceptions or understanding of the world, nor yours. He was opinionated and resolute in his beliefs; but that did not detract from his kindness or the magnitude of love he would express to family and friends. Throughout his fight with cancer, he was often frustrated and challenged by his treatment, but he was always profoundly grateful and honored for the care and attention he received from numerous doctors, nurses, specialists, and experts across the country dedicated to seeking solutions and providing him with quality of life.
He aspired for a Waldon-esque existence and held a deep appreciation for the natural beauty and art culture of the Asheville/Brevard region of North Carolina.
He is survived by his two daughters, Eden Ellsworth and Aurora Smith, his mother and stepfather, Sharon and Scott Goodson, his sisters Yvonne and Yvette Crandall, and stepsisters Mandi LaRowe, Erin Sumaduroff, and Lia Goodson. He is also survived by his maternal grandmother, Patricia Smith, his paternal step grandmother Cecelia Goodson, and a clan of aunts, uncles, and cousins.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation
https://fibrofoundation.org/giving.
Memorial services will be held 2pm, Saturday, May 7, 2022 at Temple Baptist Church with military honors. The family will receive friends and loved ones immediately following the service.
Online condolences may be left at www.moodyconnollyfuneralhome.com.
Moody-Connolly Life Celebrations, 181 S. Caldwell Street, Brevard, NC 28712.
Brendan, better known to some as BJ, was born in Hamilton, NY to Sharon Smith Goodson. Though a native New Yorker, he moved to Asheville, NC at the age of eighteen and has been a resident of Brevard, NC since 2012.
Brendan honorably served as Specialist E-4 in the United States Army 2009 – 2012. After completing his service, he obtained his master’s degree in Online Education from American Military University. He was an assisting supervising teacher at Brevard Middle School working with Exceptional Children. Brendan was passionate about his work and often commented on the gratification, comfort, and enjoyment he received from his students. Brendan received the Teacher Assistant of the Year Award for 2019-2020 for his dedication and devotion to his student and BMS.
He was a deeply talented soul who played guitar, created art, and wrote poetry. To know Brendan was to know his twisted sense of humor and his appreciation of the ironic. He had an infectious laugh. He was a complex thinker and truth-seeker, who would not refrain from challenging his perceptions or understanding of the world, nor yours. He was opinionated and resolute in his beliefs; but that did not detract from his kindness or the magnitude of love he would express to family and friends. Throughout his fight with cancer, he was often frustrated and challenged by his treatment, but he was always profoundly grateful and honored for the care and attention he received from numerous doctors, nurses, specialists, and experts across the country dedicated to seeking solutions and providing him with quality of life.
He aspired for a Waldon-esque existence and held a deep appreciation for the natural beauty and art culture of the Asheville/Brevard region of North Carolina.
He is survived by his two daughters, Eden Ellsworth and Aurora Smith, his mother and stepfather, Sharon and Scott Goodson, his sisters Yvonne and Yvette Crandall, and stepsisters Mandi LaRowe, Erin Sumaduroff, and Lia Goodson. He is also survived by his maternal grandmother, Patricia Smith, his paternal step grandmother Cecelia Goodson, and a clan of aunts, uncles, and cousins.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation
https://fibrofoundation.org/giving.
Memorial services will be held 2pm, Saturday, May 7, 2022 at Temple Baptist Church with military honors. The family will receive friends and loved ones immediately following the service.
Online condolences may be left at www.moodyconnollyfuneralhome.com.
Moody-Connolly Life Celebrations, 181 S. Caldwell Street, Brevard, NC 28712.