Ellen Dennison died Monday morning following a battle with cancer.

Dennison, 62, worked at Eastern for about 13 years and spent 10 of those years working in the Office of Planning and Institutional Studies out of the external relations department.

“It’s a real loss,” said Jill Nilsen, vice president for external relations. “It’s been a sad couple of days for us.”

Dennison joined the office in 1998.

After Christmas last year, Dennison didn’t return and on Jan. 31, she underwent surgery.

“She had been sick for a long time,” Nilsen said.

University spokesperson Vicki Woodard said Dennison suffered from cancer for about two years.

Woodard would not release the type of cancer she had.

Nilsen said Dennison always helped out with commencement.

She said Dennison would make sure the students had their robes on properly and were where they needed to be.

“She was a hard worker, a great team player,” Nilsen said.

This work ethic was typical for Dennison.

“She was our little firecracker,” said Amy Edwards, assistant director of planning and institutional studies.

Dennison’s duties in the office were to oversee data reports, but she was also known to be a mother figure.

Edwards, whose parents live far away, said if she ever needed advice or if she was sick she knew Dennison would be there to help.

“She’d always say, ‘You need to go to the doctor,’ or she’d say, ‘These things happen,'” Edwards said. “She was like that with about everybody.”

Edwards said even when there was no advice to give; Dennison was there to listen as well and even spread a few laughs.

Dennison was a fan of the Maxine comics, and Edwards said she had Maxine related items sitting around and would often share particular comics with the office.

“She could relate to what she read in the Maxine comic,” Edwards said. “And the Maxine comics are pretty funny.”

Kristina Peters can be reached at 581-7942 or at kmpeters2@eiu.edu.