Ellen Parrella, 78, of Newtown died February 14, after a brief illness due to complications from multiple myeloma, in the comfort of her home, surrounded by her children and the sounds of her favorite symphony - Beethoven's Seventh. Ellen Kaja Weitzmann was born in Vienna, Austria, the first of two daughters of Maria Katt and Dr August Weitzmann.memorialwebsites.legacy.com/EKP/homepage.aspx.

Naturally curious and independent, she explored Vienna on her own from an early age, showing a fascination with composers and scientists. She was fluent in English by age 6, and French by age 7. As was common in war-torn cities, she spent two years away from Vienna, living safely with family friends in the country. After the war, she returned to Vienna and attended boarding school and business college, and then studied English at the University of Cambridge.

In August 1958, she eloped with naval officer Robert Fahrenholz of Ridgewood, N.J., and immigrated to the United States two months later. In 1960 the couple settled in Newtown, and raised three children on Sycamore Drive.

In 1964, she joined the Board of Directors of Town Players, serving alternately as house manager, publicity director, and treasurer. This led to 13 years of acting in or directing more than 35 plays there.

In 1968, she was asked to serve on a feasibility study committee for establishing the Newtown Arts Festival, of which she was a founding board member in 1970, serving first as secretary and eventually as president for ten years. Under her direction, NAF brought international talent from around the globe into Newtown High School's 1,200-seat auditorium. Performing artists included symphony orchestras, ballet troupes, opera, and live Broadway theater.

In 1975, she joined the Board of Directors of Newtown Friends of Music, and served as president for the last 28 years.

While her children were young, Mrs Parrella worked part-time teaching German for Adult Education in Newtown and Bethel for eight years; working as a bookkeeper for Nejame Pools; and as an office manager for B. Joseph Meehan, MD. Later, when her children were grown, she worked for Maumee Flavors & Fragrances (a division of Sherwin Williams), and Blackstone Industries as manager of export, advertising, and customer service, establishing new sales territories in Canada, Mexico, Latin America, and Europe.

In 1991, she married Fred Parrella, a fellow Friends of Music board member, opera fan, and classical music lover, and retired. They were married for nearly 20 wonderful years, traveling extensively, and exploring all corners of the globe to unearth new classical artists and engineering marvels, until his death in 2009. (Mr Parrella was a well-known engineer with many patents to his name.) In 2015, she established the Alfred T Parrella '42 Scholarship Fund at Yale College, for the benefit of deserving engineering and applied science students.

Mrs Parrella took a radio operator course in the 1980s, but only recently did she have time to focus on her dream of being a broadcaster, eventually landing her own weekly two-hour show on WMNR 88.1 FM. She loved bringing new artists to the airwaves, as well as offering her unique perspective and personal thoughts on established masterpieces. Her classical music program will continue to run on Wednesday mornings, from 10 am to noon, featuring more than 100 hours of prerecorded music and commentary she created during the last two years of her life.

She was a linguist and lifelong passionate advocate for literacy. She taught English to hundreds of immigrants during 30 years with Literacy Volunteers of America, becoming a tutor trainer and conducting workshops around the United States. She was active in the Newtown Congregational Church, the Newtown International Club, the Booth Book Club, and Newtown Rotary. She drove and scheduled for FISH for 30-plus years.

Three children: George, James, and Kaia Fahrenholz; cousins, nephews, a niece, and an uncle, in Austria and England, survive Mrs Parrella. Her younger sister, Eda Nestler, predeceased her. She will be greatly missed by the dozens of nieces, nephews, and their families who bonded to her during her 20-year marriages to Robert Fahrenholz and Fred Parrella.

A celebration of life will take place Saturday, April 9, at 10 am, at Newtown Congregational Church, 14 West Street, Newtown.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Newtown Friends of Music, PO Box 295, Newtown CT 06470.

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