Ellen Reyzer Schellhase

ELLEN REYZER SCHELLHASE

Ellen Reyzer Schellhase, age 48, of Waunakee, died on February 27, 2024 at home after a 30 year battle with Multiple Sclerosis.  

She was born in Madison in 1975, the daughter of James and Nancy Reyzer.   Ellen grew up in Middleton and graduated in 1994 from Middleton High School.  During her high school years, she was very active in Softball, Bowling, Gymnastics, Band and Pom Pons.  She went on to attend the University of Wisconsin Madison, during her freshman year, she was diagnosed with MS, but managed to get her degree in accounting in 1998.  Part of her college experience was a semester spent at Walt Disney World in their College Program.  Also in college she met her husband, Toby Schellhase, and they were married in 2000.

She never let her MS rob her of her sense of adventure.  She and Toby traveled all over the world together, to places like Denmark, France, the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, and even South Africa where they went on Safari with Ellen in her wheelchair.

After college, Ellen got her CPA, and worked at a general accounting firm for a short while.   That was not exactly the job she wanted for her career, and soon found a better fit as a financial analyst for the American Girl Doll Company.  That company accommodated her disability, and she made several lifelong friends while working there.  Sadly, in 2014 she had to retire from the company because of her MS.  

Ellen is survived by her husband, Toby; her parents, Jim and Nancy Reyzer; her brother John (Kathryn) Reyzer; brother-in-law, Todd (Jennifer) Schellhase, brother-in-law, Troy (Kevin) Schellhase, 4 nieces, 1 nephew, and several very close aunts, uncles and cousins. She was preceded in death by her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Curt and Sue Schellhase, her Aunt Sue and Uncle Tom Wilke, and her cousins David and Molly. 

Funeral services will be held on Monday March 4, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at St John’s Catholic Church 209 South St Waunakee. Friends may call at the Winn-Cress Funeral Home on Sunday March 3, 2024 from 2:00 to 4:00p.m. and again at the church on Monday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of services. Burial will take place in the church cemetery.

It took a village to care for Ellen during her 30 years of Multiple Sclerosis.  We are very grateful to the doctors at University Hospital: Drs. Sheehy, Herold, Luzio and Caldera, and to all the nurses there who gave her such professional care.  Our gratitude also extends to all the caregivers who made it possible for Ellen to live at home: the nurses and CNAs at Agrace Hospice, the caregivers at Senior Helpers, and most especially to our friend, Stevie.  

Memorials may be made to LiveMSFree Multiple Sclerosis Patient Assistance Fund through the UW Foundation, or Agrace Hospice. 

Please share your memories at www.cressfuneralservice .com 

Winn-Cress Funeral Home

5785 Hwy Q, Waunakee, WI