GILMANTON---Ella Leona Stroud, 89, died peacefully at the Lakes Region General Hospital, Laconia on Sunday, June 17, 2007 with her family at her side.

         Mrs. Stroud was born Dec. 3, 1917 in Southville (now Southborough), Mass. to Frederick W. and Agnes (Valaide) Ross.  She grew up in Enfield, N.H. and shortly after graduating from Enfield High School, she lived in New Jersey a few years with an older brother and his wife.  She was employed by the N.J. Public Service Co. as a secretary where she was kidded about her N.H. accent.

         She attended Cooley Dickinson Nursing School, East Hampton, Massachusetts and also attended classes at Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts.  She trained to be a Medical Laboratory Technician. She pioneered and was in charge of the laboratory work at the Laconia Clinic during the 1950’s.  In the 1960’s, she was hired by the State of New Hampshire as Laboratory Scientist in charge of the medical laboratory at the Laconia State School.

Mrs. Stroud enjoyed, with her husband, Paul, many activities including; golfing, sailing on Lake Winnipesaukee, snowmobiling, skiing, snowshoeing,  hiking, including mountain climbing,  camping, traveling, fishing and gardening, and her cats and dogs.

A favorite hobby was making lampshades of different designs which she displayed and sold at craft shows throughout New England. She was a member of the N.H. craftsmen.

Mrs. Stroud was an active Christian Witness all her life. As a member of the First Baptist Church in Belmont, she was a Sunday school teacher, Church Clerk, sang in the choir, an active member of the Ladies Circle and served on various other committees and she and her husband served as church delegates to many annual conventions of the American Baptist Churches of N.H.

In addition to her husband of forty-six years, Paul, she leaves her daughter, Judith V. Landry, and her son, Joshua R. Landry, and his wife, Min Kyung, and their two sons, Ramsey, 5, and Alexander, 2, all of Gilmanton; a brother, Frederick Ross, and his wife, Merle, of Thornton, N.H; a sister, Helen Boynton, of Hampden, Mass. and several nieces and nephews and their families.

There will be no calling hours.

A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 11:00AM at the First Baptist Church of Belmont, 49 Church Hill, Belmont, NH.  The Rev. David Beal, Interim Pastor of the Church, will officiate.

Burial will follow in Buzzell Cemetery, Gilmanton, N. H.

Memorial donations may be made to the First Baptist Church of Belmont, 49 Church Hill, Belmont, NH 03220 or to Lakes Region General Hospital, Eldercare Unit, 80 Highland Street, Laconia, N. H. 03246

Wilkinson-Beane Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N. H. is in charge of the arrangements.