Mary Ellen Lynch, 54, died Saturday at St. Joseph's Hospital. She was the daughter of Dottie and Joel Lynch.

She graduated from Savannah High School and from Salem College in Winston Salem, NC with a degree in arts management. She received a Masters degree in art history from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. She moved to Baltimore, MD, where she taught architecture and art history on the college level. In her professional career, she also worked as a floor broker on the Chicago Board Options Exchange. After returning to Savannah, Ellen worked for The Robinson-Humphrey Company as a broker's assistant. She attended South College, where she received a degree as a paralegal. For eight years Ellen was a judicial assistant to Judge Larry Dillon and Judge Claire Cornwell-Williams in the Chatham County Recorders' Court. She was the recipient of the Savannah Bar Association's 2012 Judge Edward M. Hester Award to a Courthouse employee "who has been of particular assistance to bar members and the public." At the time of her death she was working with the Savannah Impact Program.

Ellen was a graduate of Leadership Savannah and served on the City of Savannah Cultural Affairs Commission. She was also a past chair of the Historic Savannah Foundation Gala.

In addition to her parents, she is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Lane Lynch, and her nephews Jim and Alex. She was predeceased by her brother James Lynch.

There will be a visitation from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 2, 2014 at Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel. Burial will be private.

Remembrances may be given to Live Oak Public Libraries Foundation, 2002 Bull Street, Savannah, GA 31401 or The Telfair Academy of Arts, P.O. Box 10081, Savannah, GA 31412.