NAUGATUCK – Ellen Thurston, 84 passed away peacefully on January 2, 2017. Ellen was born November 25, 1932, in Pittsfield, MA, the daughter of the late Freeman P. and Frances Twitchell Thurston. Ellen graduated from Naugatuck High School and Simmons College in Boston. She was an accountant for several years at Waterbury Pressed Metal and retired from the YMCA. She was an avid football fan, especially the New York Giants. Her love of animals was a big part of her life as was knitting and doing crossword puzzles. The biggest impact she had however was the love and compassion she had for her nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. She was very family-oriented. Ellen is survived by her sisters, Blanche Clark of Southington and Sally Ciarlo and her husband Dan of Naugatuck. She was predeceased by her sister, Ruth Woodfield and her brother, Robert F. Thurston. Ellen also leaves behind several nieces and nephews, including her sister Blanche's children, Arthur Clark Jr. of New Jersey, Jeffrey Clark of Naugatuck, Charles Clark of Clinton, Marilyn Pellet of Southington, and Sharon Clark of Stamford, as well as Sally's two daughters, Jayne Williams and Sally Illes of Naugatuck, Ruth's son, James Woodfield of Naugatuck, and Robert's son, Freeman P. Thurston of Woodbury and all their families. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Thursday, January 5, 2017, at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 318 Church Street, Naugatuck. Burial will follow in St. James Cemetery. Friends and family may call from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, January 4, 2017, at Buckmiller Thurston Mengacci Funeral Home, 82 Fairview Avenue, Naugatuck. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to honor Ellen’s life may be made to the animal shelters of Connecticut.