Eleanor Grace Whitfield, “Ellie,” 84, of Huntsville, Texas, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by three generations of her family on August 9, 2026.
She was born on June 4, 1942 in Nacogdoches, Texas to the late Harold and Vera Cummings. She graduated from Nacogdoches High School and attended Sam Houston State Teachers College.
She taught third grade at Huntsville Elementary for 34 years, where two generations of Walker County kids learned cursive at her chalkboard. She was a member of First Baptist Church for over sixty years, where she sang alto in the choir. She was a member of the Huntsville Garden Club.
Ellie was known for being endlessly patient, quick to laugh, and utterly incapable of letting a visitor leave without a slice of pecan pie. She loved her rose garden, church cookbook committees, and Friday-night dominoes.
Ellie is survived by her husband of 61 years, Walter Whitfield; her son James Whitfield Jr. and wife Kelly of Tyler; her daughter Linda Whitfield-Carter of Dallas; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, and was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Gene Cummings.
Visitation will be held Friday, August 14, from 6 to 8 PM at Fields Family Funeral Home. Services will be held Saturday, August 15, at 10 AM at First Baptist Church, Huntsville, with Pastor Dan Reeves officiating. Interment will follow at Oakwood Cemetery, Huntsville.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to the Huntsville Elementary library fund.