Mrs. Ellen Sheplak 70, of Keystone Heights passed away on Tues., March 30, 2010 at Shands Hospital in Gainesville after a brief but courageous battle against a very aggressive form of small cell cancer. Ellen was born in Carbondale, PA on February 9, 1940 to the late John & Ellen (Smith) Hoyle and moved to New Jersey during her sophomore year of high school. Ellen married her husband Rick in 1960 and in 1988 they moved to Keystone Heights from Stanhope, NJ. Prior to her retirement in 2006, she was known as Miss Ellen at Johnnys B.B.Q. for almost 20 years as greeting everyone with a big smile and a lot of kidding around. She loved to play bingo and the slot machines in Las Vegas, Tampa, and Biloxi Mississippi. Ellen was a parishioner of the St. William Catholic Church and a member of the Melrose Womans Club. She loved her husband and family, especially her grandchildren and daughter in law whom she considered her adopted daughter. The family would like to thank the wonderful staff @ Shands Hospital with a very special thanks to Dr. Jay Lynch for the outstanding care and professionalism shown to Ellen and her family during this very short but depressing period. Mrs. Sheplak is survived by her husband of 50 years, Rick and their son Mark and his wife Jeanniel. She is also survived by her brother Jackie and his wife Debbie of NJ, grandchildren, Rachel and Matthew, many cousins, nieces, and nephews in PA, NY, and FL. Visitation for Mrs. Sheplak will be held on Tuesday, April 6th from 5-8 at the funeral home. Funeral Mass will be on Wed. April 7, 2010 at 10 oclock in the St. William Catholic Church with Father Mike Williams officiating. Burial will follow at the Keystone Heights Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family is asking that contributions be made to the Shands Cancer Center, P.O. Box 103633, Gainesville, FL 32610-3633. The family is inviting everyone back to the church hall for lunch and a time of sharing following the burial. hide