Ellen Elizabeth Kuklinski, age 76, passed away peacefully at her home in Richland, WA on April 4, 2025, from mesothelioma.

Ellen was born on July 27, 1948, in Wenatchee, WA to Arnold and Ruth Bohringer. She was the oldest of four sisters. Ellen spent the first few years of her childhood in Brewster, WA until her family moved to Richland, WA in 1951. Growing up, she attended Marcus Whitman and Jefferson Elementary Schools, Chief Joseph Junior High and Columbia (Richland) High School where she was a member of the Drill Team.

Ellen attended Central Washington University for two years where she met her first husband and became a mom to her son and daughter. They lived in Shelton, WA before moving home to Richland in the summer of 1982 to be closer to family. Ellen was a hard-working single mom who always put her children first. She often baked homemade cookies, took her daughter on shopping trips, supported the kids in all their activities and taught them an appreciation for Neil Diamond’s music.

Upon returning to Richland, Ellen worked as a secretary at the City of Richland for 26 years before retiring. During her time at the city, she was surrounded by coworkers and lifelong friends who recall her gentle, kind, positive and fun personality. She always looked forward to the Gaslight or Towne Crier after work on Friday nights. Through her friends at the city, she met the love of her life George in 1985, and they later married on January 15, 1999.

Ellen once said that one of the reasons she adored George was because he made everything fun when they were traveling or going out with friends. They enjoyed annual vacations to Mexico together with dear friends, an amazing trip to St. Thomas, and cruises to the Eastern Caribbean and Alaska/Canada. She also looked forward to her Vegas trips, visits to the Oregon Coast, and her annual girls’ trip to Leavenworth with her mom, sisters and nieces.

Anyone who loved Ellen knew she was a die-hard Seattle Seahawks fan. Sundays were for the Seahawks, and she wasn’t to be disturbed during the game. She was also a devoted Richland Bomber fan with both her kids and grandkids following in her footsteps attending Richland High. And she became a loyal Coug Mom and Coug Grandma rooting for the WSU Cougar football team.

Ellen shared a special bond with her grandmother growing up, and she cherished the opportunity to pass that on to her own grandkids. Being a grandma brought her so much joy, and she unapologetically spoiled the kids with treats, movies, sleepovers and unconditional love. She was a constant presence in their lives and their biggest cheerleader at sporting events. The kids all loved spending time at Grandma Kuk’s house both as children and adults. Right up until the end, Ellen lit up whenever her grandkids entered the room.

Ellen will be remembered as a warm and welcoming bright light who cared deeply about the people in her life. She was a beautiful and loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. She enjoyed golfing, reading, shopping, visiting Wildhorse Casino, watching reality TV and simply spending time with family and friends. Ellen and George hosted most family gatherings, and she treasured holidays and birthdays celebrated with her loved ones. Christmas and Easter were her favorites, with all the best decorations and traditions every year at her house. And of course, her drink of choice was white wine with ice cubes in a small tupperware cup.

Ellen is survived by her husband George Kuklinski, daughter Nicole (Brian) Corbin, father Arnold Bohringer, and stepson Scott Kuklinski. Her six grandchildren include Kallee (Joel) Meinert, Josie (Kyle Caldwell) Corbin, John Corbin, Wyatt Kuklinski, Deacon Kuklinski and Grace Kuklinski. Ellen is also survived by her sisters Linda (Dory) Clausnitzer, Debby Prichard and Carol (Alton) MacInnis, and her six nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her son Steve Bjorn and her mother Ruth Bohringer.

A celebration of life for Ellen will be held on Saturday, May 3, 2025, from 1:00 – 4:00 PM at the Richland Community Center, 500 Amon Park Drive, Richland, WA. The event will be an open house format, and guests are welcome to drop in any time to pay their respects. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association https://www.alz.org in memory of Ellen’s mother Ruth.