Ellen Radloff Fisch, 38, passed away peacefully at her home in Austin, Minn., on Wednesday, April 10, 2013. She lived courageously with brain cancer for 3 1/2 years, showing all of the people around her how to live graciously in spite of a terminal prognosis.

Ellen was born in Rochester, Minn., on Feb. 26, 1975. She was the middle child born to Fred and Millie (Munro) Radloff, with an older brother, James, and a younger sister, Mary Ann. Ellen’s father was a farmer in the Lyle area and later a deputy sheriff in Mower County. Her mother is a retired teacher who worked in the Austin Public School system for 32 years. Ellen was a creative, loving child who was an avid reader. She played piano and violin and was very artistic. She had many friends, was easy to love and was a character! She loved working, family gatherings, couponing, shopping, gardening, pickling, scrapbooking, having parties, summery days at her cabin and being with friends.

Early on, she became a personal caregiver, and the two women she was blessed to work for appreciated her and greatly influenced her. Ellen then worked for the Minneapolis Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press delivering early morning papers every day for a number of years. During this time, she also earned her AA degree from Riverland. In 2006, she became the independent contractor for the Tribune, being responsible for hiring personnel and making sure the papers were brought down from the Cities every night and delivered. She kept this job until her poor health in August 2012 forced her to retire. Ellen was a hard worker and a person who showed great appreciation and concern for her employees and customers.

Those of us who love Ellen take comfort in focusing on the gifts that leave their mark on the lives she touched. Her life was a story of rebirth, a life turned around. It taught us that our God loves us unconditionally and with each new day gives us a chance to start over. Her earthly journey was lived with a strong and undaunted spirit. She moved forward each day without wavering, without complaining, without feeling sorry for herself. Her life was hemmed with thankfulness for the love she received from her family and friends. Photographs of important moments of her life were thoughtfully and loving put into scrapbooks by her so that her young children will have a journal of the life of their mom, who died before she had a chance to watch them grow up. She gave us her three beautiful children: Ren, Russell and Brooke. She loved her church family, the good people of Westminster Presbyterian. Ellen was married to Richard Fisch and together they had two children: Russell James Fisch, 8, and Brooke Elizabeth Fisch, 4.

How we face our finality, in many ways, is our last gift to our families. We thank Ellen for showing us such grace at the end. As her health deteriorated in the past couple of months, she maintained a gentle, loving and caring attitude. As we grieve her loss, we rejoice in the fact that she has made that final journey and is reunited with those who have gone before her. We praise God for her life and cherish the beautiful memories imprinted on our hearts.

Ellen is survived by her husband, Richard Fisch; children, Russell Fisch, Brooke Fisch and Ren Hubbard; mother, Millie Masse; stepfather, Philip Masse; brother James (Miranda); sister, Mary Ann Munro; stepbrothers, Mike Masse, Paul Masse; stepsisters Joelle VanWier and Kathy Many; beloved aunts and uncles, cousins and nephews. Ellen was preceded in death by her father, Fred Radloff; uncle, Bob Radloff; and grandparents Betty and Neil Munro and Fred and Ella Radloff.