Ellen Pfau, age 81, of Bel Air, Maryland, passed away on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, she was the daughter of the late Lawrence Walton Wimmer and Marguerite Iris (Stanley) Wimmer, and the beloved wife of the late James Milton Pfau.

Ellen lived in Harford County for most of her life and was a proud 1962 graduate of Bel Air High School. She traveled extensively with her husband during his military service, with Germany being among her favorite places. Ellen had a deep love for cooking and caring for others—feeding family and friends was truly her love language, and she found great joy in seeing others enjoy her meals. Throughout her life, she was a devoted caregiver, taking care of so many others in her lifetime.

She cherished the time she spent with her son and his fiancée, Nimo, in South Carolina prior to his passing. Ellen also looked forward to her weekly gatherings with her beloved “Knitwits,” who will miss her dearly. Prior to COVID, she was an active member of St. Margaret’s Catholic Church, where she faithfully served as a Lector and Eucharistic Minister, roles she deeply loved. Above all, Ellen was proud of her family and treasured the time spent with them—especially playing cards and dominoes. She also had a special love for animals.

In addition to her parents and husband, Ellen was preceded in death by her son, James Pfau, Jr., and her sister, Linda Blisard.

She is survived by her loving daughters, Ann (Joseph) Yates and Kimberly Pfau; her cherished grandchildren, Kyle (Ashley) McGrath, Brianna McGrath, Erin (Trevor) Baldree, Caleb Yates, Samuel (Kendall) Yates, Leah (Adam) Worley; ; her adored great-grandchildren, Karl McGrath, Aiden McGrath, Luis Velazquez, Morgan Velazquez, Maria Velazquez, Ryker Yates, Zaylee Yates, Tucker Yates, Harper Yates, Cayson Worley, Jorge Velazquez, and Lesley Velazquez, and many in-laws, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Wounded Warriors Foundation.https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/