Ella Josephine Julian Frost, 87 of Butler, Pennsylvania passed away peacefully after a brief illness on Tuesday, November 28 at Butler Memorial Hospital surrounded in love by family members. She was born September 30, 1936, in New Orleans, Louisiana to Archille, Sr. and Philomene Humphrey Julian.
Ella graduated from Xavier University of Louisiana in 1959 with a B.S. degree in Health & Physical Education, where she met the love of her life, George S. Frost. They were married February 27, 1960, and subsequently moved from New Orleans to Butler due to George’s job. Together, they went on to have five children, Carla Elizabeth, Dionne Louise, Kevin Michael, Douglas Anthony, and Karen Lynn.
What began as a part-time interim position in 1965, transpired into more than 37 years as the Executive Director of the Paul Laurence Dunbar Community Center. Under Ella’s leadership, Dunbar Community Center became a welcoming, vibrant, and inclusive community resource, providing a variety of year-round programming and activities for youth and adults.
Dunbar was also a meeting place for various organizations and clubs. If the organization or club was about bringing people from the Butler community together to learn new things, develop hobbies, take enrichment classes, or simply to fellowship, Ella would find a place on the Center’s schedule. For years, she was the Girl Scout leader, taught piano classes, ceramics classes, sewing classes, and arts and crafts in addition to being the Executive Director. Throughout her vocation of service to the community, Ella touched the lives of hundreds upon hundreds of children, young people, and adults.
Ella was a member of St. Paul Roman Catholic Church and for many years was very active in the Cana Club with her husband George. She was a founding member of the Butler Chapter of the R.O.O.H.T. (Royal Order of Holy Turtles). She served on numerous community boards and committees. An early advocate locally for the Title IX movement, Ella was a founding member of the Butler High School Girls Basketball Mother’s Club in 1975 to ensure that the female basketball players would receive the same benefits and financial support the male players received. Ella was an avid golfer well into her 60’s and enjoyed the camaraderie that league play provided. For years, she loved getting together with her card club and weekly luncheons with “the ceramic ladies”.
It is not a cliché understatement to say that another person’s trash became Ella’s treasure. She was into recycling and upcycling way before it became a thing. Ella never met a piece of fabric, empty paper towel or toilet paper roll, gift box, plastic container, plastic bag, or packaging material that she did not like, nor couldn’t create either a useful item or seasonal décor out of. Her displays of creativity ran the gambit from sewing prom and wedding dresses to knitting, crocheting, and quilting, to designing and creating wedding decorations for the brides of her friends or neighbors. She created memorable prom decorations, Mardi Gras themed social gatherings and displays of festive handmade décor on the trees and bushes in her yard for each holiday. She was a perfectionist when it came to her crafting, ceramic creations, and her famous Southern-style potato salad.
Ella was a very knowledgeable fan and spectator of many sports. She especially loved the Steelers, and always cheered for the Pirates, Penguins and Pitt. Without a doubt, she was Western Pennsylvania’s #1 octogenarian fan of Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
Ella was full of unconditional love for her immediate and extended family, and she cared so deeply for the many people in her life. She especially enjoyed being Grammy to her beloved grandchildren, Lexis Marie, Connor Douglas, and Colton Todd. She took great joy and pride in being able to watch them grow up to become the young adults they are today. She enjoyed sending them text messages, replete with abbreviations, emoji art and inspirational GIFs. Kind, patient, and selfless, she had a keen sense of empathy, encouraged others, and always had time to listen. A woman of strong faith, quiet strength, endearing wit, and encouraging wisdom, Ella always gave more than she took. Even as her health was declining, she approached each day with grace, grit, and determination to make the best of them in her own unique ways.
Ella was predeceased in death by her parents, brothers, and recently her son Kevin, who died September 30, 2023. She is survived and terribly missed by her loving husband of 63 years, George, daughters Carla and Dionne, son Douglas, daughter Karen, and daughter-in-law Janet. Forever appreciated and remembered by her grandchildren Lexis, Connor, and Colton. Her memory will be indelibly cherished by her family, brother, and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, life-long special neighbors, and friends.
The family would like to extend its’ heartfelt thanks to the team of physicians, nurses, nurse assistants, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and housekeepers at Butler Memorial Hospital for their tireless, kind, and compassionate care of Ella. Each of you treated her as if she was your only patient, and she felt that, which was a great source of comfort to her family.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Butler Catholic School, 515 East Locust Street Butler, PA 16001 or The Golden Tornado Scholastic Foundation, Inc., 110 Campus Lane, Butler, PA 16001
FROST – Family and friends of Ella Josephine Julian Frost, who died Tuesday, November 28 will be received from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 5 at Geibel Funeral Home, 201 East Cunningham Street, Butler. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Wednesday, December 6 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Paul Roman Catholic Church, 128 North McKean Street, Butler with the Rev. Kevin C. Fazio officiating.