Ellen M French
Sex: F
Individual Information
Birth: 26 Aug 1957 - La Crosse Co, WI
Christening:
Death: 25 Apr 2012 - Monmouth, , IL
Burial: 30 Apr 2012 - Roseville Memorial Park Cemetery
Cause of Death:
AFN :
Events
• Event, 26 Apr 2012
Monmouth-Roseville teacher taken from school in ambulance• Event, wgil.com, 26 Apr 2012
Posted Apr 26, 2012 @ 07:00 AM
MONMOUTH \emdash
A teacher at Harding Elementary School suddenly fell ill Wednesday afternoon and was transported from the school by ambulance.
Administrators from around the Monmouth-Roseville School District reported to the scene shortly after the incident to provide support for staff and students.
The name of the teacher was not released Wednesday afternoon, nor was the teacher's condition released by press time.
Lincoln Early Childhood Principal Angela Winger, who was at Harding after the incident, said counselors would be on hand at Harding for faculty and staff beginning at 7:30 a.m. today.
She also said calls had been placed to parents of each of the teacher's students.
Monmouth-Roseville School District Teacher Passes Away• Death, 26 Apr 2012
UPDATED 11:45am 4/26/12 A longtime teacher in the Monmouth-Roseville School District passed away not long after falling ill at school.
That's according to a statement issued by the district. It says that Harding Primary School 3rd Grade teacher Ellen Becraft became ill at school Wednesday, and was transported by ambulance to OSF Holy Family Medical Center in Monmouth, where she was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
The district says the Henderson-Mercer-Warren Regional Office of Education's "SCAT" -- or, School Crisis Assistance Team -- has been dispatched to the district, and that grief counseling is available for both students and staff.
Becraft taught for a combined 30 years in the Roseville and later Monmouth-Roseville School Districts. The district says she'll be missed, and "She had a tremendous impact on the faculty, staff, students, and communities of Monmouth and Roseville."
Funeral and other related arrangements are not yet available.
Fallen Harding teacher remembered• Obituary, Review Atlas, 26 Apr 2012
By Marty Touchette
Daily Review Atlas
Posted Apr 26, 2012 @ 07:13 PM
Monmouth, Ill. \emdash
mtouchette@reviewatlas.com
MONMOUTH \emdash Thursday morning students, faculty and administration of Harding Primary School were recovering from a shocking incident Wednesday afternoon.
Third grade teacher Ellen Becraft suddenly became ill in her classroom while students were present. She was transported by ambulance to OSF Holy Family Medical Center but died shortly after arriving at the facility.
Becraft taught for more than 30 years in the Roseville C.U.S.D. No. 200 and later with the Monmouth-Roseville C.U.S.D. No. 238. In a release the district said she "had a tremendous impact on the faculty, staff, students and communities of Monmouth and Roseville. Ellen will be missed."
A school crisis assistant team was called in by the Regional Office and was on hand Thursday morning for counseling. Shortly after the incident Wednesday several principals and school counselors from around the District were on hand at Harding to provide immediate support.
Becraft's principal at Harding, Debbra Martin, said Becraft was a leader in the school.
"She provided leadership when I was out of the building. ... For two years she was the third grade level chair. Her peers looked to her for her expertise," Martin said.
Becraft's last official leadership role was representing Harding during a search phase to find Martin's replacement (the principal has accepted an assistant superintendent's position outside of District No. 238).
The District has undergone several changes, especially in the past several years, during Becraft's tenure. The success of integrating the Monmouth and Roseville schools as well as other challenges came with the help of Becraft's enthusiasm.
"She always had a smile on her face and she approached change with a positive attitude," Martin said.
Martin said Becraft was a good influence on her students, especially helping them with their writing skills, and was a force behind the District's Young Authors program. Becraft led a team of actors who portrayed scenes from works written by participants in the Young Authors program at their annual event.
"She had a larger than life personality," Martin said, adding she was very close to Becraft.
The principal said the incident has pulled her staff together.
"The staff has been phenomenal in handling this and working together," Martin said, adding the support from around the District has been deeply appreciated.
Monmouth, Ill. \emdash• Event, 27 Apr 2012
1957-2012
MONMOUTH \emdash Ellen M. French Becraft, 54, Woodhull, died at OSF Holy Family Medical Center in Monmouth at 3:43 p.m. on April 25.
Ellen was born August 26, 1957 in La Crosse, Wis. the daughter of Mary and Kenneth G. French. She married Ken Becraft on Nov. 6, 1982.
Ellen is survived by her loving husband, Ken, her son, Nathan, her father, Kenneth G. French of La Crosse and numerous other aunts, uncles and cousins. Also surviving are her mother and father in-law, Jerry and Carol Becraft of Roseville; and three brothers-in-law: David (Jodi) Becraft and family of Baraboo, Wis.; Steven (Jeanne) Becraft and family of Victoria, Minn.; and Richard (Jauna) Becraft and family of Baraboo, Wis.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Mary French, and her sister, Linda French.
She graduated from The University of Wisconsin- La Crosse with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Spanish in 1980.
Ellen spent her entire career teaching second and third grade. Ellen taught for 28 years at Roseville Elementary School and spent the past two years teaching at Harding Elementary School in Monmouth. For the past four years, she served in the role of lead teacher where she provided leadership for the staff when the principal was away from the building.
She also served as the third grade level chair for the past two years. Her peers always looked to her for educational expertise and her specialty in working with students, parents and fellow academic partners. In addition to her leadership role, she was always supportive of the achievements of her students, especially in writing. She was an outstanding writing teacher and was the main contributor of the "Young Author's Program." Her theatrical skills always came through when making a student's story come to life for the audience at the Dahl Chapel. She always led her co-workers and students with encouragement and a larger than life personality. Ellen was also a member of the Positive Based Interventions and Supports Team. She had an innate ability to look at the big picture and inspire the students to make positive choices on a daily basis. She had great classroom management skills, but she did so in a way with which her students could relate and enjoy. Her last role in leadership came recently when she represented the Harding Staff as part of the new principle search committee.
She was a nominee and recipient of numerous "Teacher of the Year" awards across the region. Perhaps most of all, hundreds of students will always remember making Thanksgiving pumpkin pies with Mrs. Becraft each year.
Aside from her career, Ellen was a phenomenal chef and an avid Packers football fan. Her greatest joy in life was being a wife and mother.
Both services will take place at the Roseville Community Center. The visitation will be on Sunday, April 29 from 4-7 p.m. The funeral will be held on Monday, April 30 at 2 p.m. Burial will be in the Roseville Memorial Park Cemetery.
Memorials can be made in Ellen's memory to the Monmouth-Roseville Education Foundation or the Roseville Community Center. Please sign the online guestbook at www.cormanmh.com. Corman Memorial Home in Roseville is in charge of the arrangements.
Monmouth-Roseville schools dismiss early for funeral
The Register-Mail
Posted Apr 27, 2012 @ 12:55 PM
MONMOUTH \emdash
Monmouth-Roseville District 238 schools will dismiss one hour early Monday so faculty, staff and students may attend the funeral of Harding School third-grade teacher Ellen Becraft.
Becraft, who taught for 30 years, fell ill at school Wednesday and was taken to a Peoria hospital where she later died.
District officials said schools will release at the following times: 2:08 p.m. for the high school, 1:50 p.m. for the junior high, 2:05 p.m. for Central, Harding and Lincoln schools and 1:30 p.m. for pre-kindergarten.
Copyright 2012 The Register-Mail. Some rights reserved
Spouses and Children
1. *Kenneth Becraft
Children:
1. Nathan Becraft