Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

April 16, 2025

Eleanor Koppang Batchelder, 80, passed away on April 16, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Ellie was the daughter of Odd and Lydia (Thorn) Koppang and grew up in Lancaster, New Hampshire. She was the loving and beloved wife of Kenneth H. Batchelder, whom she married in 1966.

Ellie attended Westbrook Junior College (now part of the University of New England) in Maine, graduating in 1964 with her degree in dental hygiene. She worked as a dental hygienist in Keene, NH, where she met Ken on a blind date; and in Philadelphia where she worked to put Ken through graduate school. In Avon, CT, where Ellie and Ken lived for 26 years, she had a long career working for Dr. John Pappalardo.

One of Ellie’s many gifts was keeping in touch, even prior to the age of the internet. She counted her classmates from Lancaster and Westbrook among her dearest friends. Friends were recipients of notes, thoughtful gifts, or phone calls when Ellie was “just wondering” how they were doing.

Ellie was a talented knitter and seamstress, famous for her intricate Norwegian mittens. She was also a wonderful baker, and friends and neighbors coveted her homemade bread and beautiful and delicious Christmas cookies.

Ellie enjoyed being an active member of her community. In Avon, Ellie sang in the West Avon Congregational Church choir and drove for Meals on Wheels. As a resident of Bridgewater, NH, she was a member of Plymouth Congregational Church and then Bristol Federated Church, and spent many afternoons at the gazebo at Whittemore Shores. In Southern Pines, NC, Ellie attended Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church and participated in the Sandhill Quilters Guild. Ellie was also a regular blood and platelet donor for the American Red Cross.

Most of all, Ellie enjoyed her life with Ken. They raised two children, Pamela and Eric, in Avon, and she kept the family running smoothly through many years of music lessons and sports. Together, Ken and Ellie traveled across the country and in Europe, including several bicycle trips. Ellie was proud of her Norwegian heritage and they made numerous trips to Norway to visit her cousins and family. They camped at South Arm, Maine, for 18 years, and had a home on Newfound Lake in New Hampshire for 35 years, where Ellie especially enjoyed summers with their grandchildren, Bo and Ellie.

Ellie is survived by her husband of 58 years, Ken. She is also survived by her daughter, Pamela Batchelder Johnson; son, Eric, and his wife, Dawn; and grandchildren Robert Hodges Johnson III and Eleanor Elisabeth Johnson. She is also survived by her brother, Owen Russell Koppang, and his wife Cathy; sister-in-law Patricia Putnam (pre-deceased by her husband, Paul); brother-in-law Charles Batchelder and his husband James Cleary; and several cousins, nieces and nephews.

The family thanks the staff at VIA Health Partners, Embrace and Southminster for their care, especially Johneka Smith for her care and companionship.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at 2 p.m. at Southminster, 8919 Park Road, Charlotte, NC 28210. The burial will be at West Avon Cemetery in Avon, CT. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be offered in memory of Ellie to The Circle Program, PO Box 815, Plymouth, NH, 03264, www.circleprogram.org, a year-round program, including a boarding camp, for disadvantaged rural New Hampshire girls; or to a charity of your choice.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606.  Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.