Obituary of Mary Ellen Filhaber

On the morning of October 16, 2021, God asked my best friend and most wonderful treasure to be with him. After two years of suffering, the last two months being awful, she accepted God's offer. She died as we promised, in her home surrounded by her children and her husband. She was born in Hartford, Connecticut on July 28, 1942, to Maurice J and Muriel F Croteau who both predeceased her. She was educated at Canton high school and the University of Connecticut. She worked as a cost accountant and later as a manager of the export department at the InterRoyal Corporation in Plainfield Connecticut. She married Ilmar J Filhaber on November 4, 1961, in Manchester, New Hampshire. They were married for 61 years. Besides being the world's most wonderful wife and best friend for 61 years, she left behind a wonderful legacy of four children: Karen (Peter) Berris, attorney, John (Amanda Morris) engineer, Lisa (Doreen) Coe, registered nurse, and Maureen (Daniel) Akers, engineer and ten fine grandchildren: Peter (Katherine) Berris, Cooper, Oliver and Lucy Filhaber, Maureen (Andrew) Young, Katherine Davis and Rebecca, Jonah, Benjamin and Susanna Akers. They have all been a true treasure and comfort at this time. She also left behind sisters Linda Croteau Boutell and Maureen Croteau, brother-in -law Wayne Worcester, her two best friends, Jeannie Kaplan and Kathy Lewandowski of and Nicki Stalter, her care giver. She loved birdwatching and could identify bird songs that most people could barely hear. She could identify birds in flight. She also loved her springer spaniels Butch and Sammy and mixed breed Timmy. She was an enthusiastic member of the Lakewood Rod and Gun Club where she and her husband dined several times a week for several years, even though she was a wonderful cook. There will be no funeral or visiting hours. Instead, there will be a celebration of her life within the next, few months. In lieu of flowers we ask that donations be made either to the Roger Tory Peterson Institute, 311 Curtis Street, Jamestown, NY 14701 or the Lakewood Fire Dept. Ambulance service, 37 Packard Ave, Lakewood, NY 14750. You may leave words of condolence at www.lindfuneralhome.com.