Ellen Landis Brinton

Ellen Landis Brinton, 95, of Lancaster, PA, died peacefully at home on September 8, 2026. She was preceded in death by her parents, William Penn Brinton and Ellen Best Landis Brinton, as well as by her younger brother, William Penn Brinton, Jr. Not everyone realized that Miss Brinton's slightly prim and proper exterior hid a delightfully mischievous streak. However, virtually everyone who knew her valued—and will miss—her unfailing kindness and generosity. Ellen loved Lancaster unconditionally and declared she had no wish to live anywhere else. She began her education at Sacred Heart Academy but ultimately transferred to Lancaster Country Day School for its greater range of sports offerings. And, in fact, she had standing tennis dates with good friends well into middle age. She finished her education at Centenary Junior College in New Jersey. Her working life was spent in the main office of Keystone Pretzel Bakery, the company which her father was instrumental in forming. Ellen was rightfully proud of Keystone pretzels and they were both a mainstay in her home, as well as a frequent gift. Along with many of her friends, Ellen enthusiastically embraced travel. In addition to the more expected destinations in Europe, she managed to venture as far as Australia and Russia. She also crossed the Arctic Circle and stood on a glacier. In the days before everyone had a smartphone in their back pocket, she still managed to document all her trips with hundreds of photos. Whether on a trip, or not, Ellen was seldom seen without a camera. For years her trusty Kodak Instamatic camera (with flash cubes, no less) freeze-framed pretty much every special occasion for posterity, while also temporarily blinding her subjects. She will be desperately missed by three of her most frequently photographed victims, who are the children of Ellen’s oldest and dearest friend from childhood, Mary Carroll Lowell Gamboa. None of them have known life without her and simply loved her as the part of their family who just happened to live in a different state. Their spouses and children are equally affected by her passing. Ellen was singularly blessed with a number of lovely friends and neighbors who looked out for her wellbeing over the years. The family will always be grateful to them, as well as to those who took such extraordinary care of her in the final years of her life. Services will be held at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, September 16th, at Groff Funeral and Cremation Services located at 528 W. Orange Street, Lancaster, PA. Burial will follow at Woodward Hill Cemetery.