Obituary of Eleanor Kornfeld Brudos

Eleanor Ruth (Kornfeld) Brudos passed away peacefully on August 5th, 2020, in Schenectady, New York, following a short illness. Born and raised in Pittsfield, MA, Ellie graduated from Pittsfield High School in 1944. After a few years working for GE in Pittsfield, she moved to live with family on Long Island and attend Katharine Gibbs School. With that certificate in hand, she renewed her career with GE, this time in Schenectady, working in positions of increasing responsibility as an administrative assistant and event planner. She enjoyed her single years thoroughly, involving herself in Schenectady Light Opera, Schenectady Wintersports Club, and saving enough money for a ski vacation to the Alps. On a particularly fateful ski trip to Mt. Tremblant, she met Darwin Brudos. Ellie and Darwin were married eight months after their first date, in a service at the First Reformed Church of Schenectady in 1961. Ellie would continue to be an active member of the church for the rest of her life, spending hours on the phone organizing Newcomers dinners, volunteering in the church office and filling in as Acting Director of Christian Education one year. She stayed home after her marriage to raise her children and do all the things that keep a family fed, clothed, and happy. She was generous with her time in her children's classrooms and activities and was always ready to help with projects, proofread reports, or sew costumes. Ellie and Darwin loved to travel, leaving no state unvisited and hitting Mexico, Canada, and Europe as well. Ellie was a loving and playful grandma, with endless patience for games and faithful attendance at soccer games, dance recitals, and kung-fu exhibitions. We are grateful for all the years we had with her. She will be sorely missed. She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Darwin Brudos; her children, Daniel (Anita) of Schenectady, New York, and Susan (Jude) of Tucson, Arizona; and her grandchildren, Katie, Meg, and Matthias. Services will be held in Covenant Hall at First Reformed Church of Schenectady at 1 p.m. on Sunday, August 9th. To ensure safe distancing, please call the church office at (518) 377-2201 to let them know of your interest in attending. Masks are required. The service may also be attended virtually at 1streformed.com. Instead of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Schenectady Inner City Ministry Food Pantry.