Concierge, dog mom and foodie
Learning to cook new dishes is one of Ellen O’Connor’s passions.
Ellen O’Connor grew up near the beach in New Jersey, spent a few years living in Carmel, California, and then landed smack in the middle of the two coasts with her husband, John, in 2001. Current residents of HOA1, John bought their house in 1985.
For the past five years, Ellen has worked as a concierge at Legacy Village of Castle Pines. Ellen watched the construction of the senior living facility and knew someday she would enjoy working with seniors and their animals. Formerly in the telecom and travel industry, Ellen went back to school for healthcare and became a dental assistant. Her degree brought her to Legacy Village.
“I am lucky enough to have a job where much of the staff, residents, and residents’ pets, have become family,” stated Ellen. “It’s a labor of love.”
Ellen has a soft spot for animals, especially dogs. When living in Carmel, Ellen worked at a hotel owned by Doris Day, a known advocate for animal welfare. Ellen described what happened when she found out about a stray dog in a dangerous situation in Kentucky. “I made one call to Doris and she flew the dog to California, where he was soon adopted by an elderly woman who named him Lucky.”
In addition to her career, Ellen has volunteered with Bin Blessed since it began 10 years ago. Bin Blessed aids families of children in medical crisis.
Ellen and John have two border collies, a “fur-baby” Aislinn, who was born deaf, and her brother Scotch. Both pups receive the highest level of attention, including regular swimming, solving dog-puzzles and endless games of frisbee.
When she is not volunteering or working, Ellen can be found in her garden or heading to the mountains. Her favorite destination is Vail, where she and John will visit for a fun weekend, like Oktoberfest.
At home, the couple enjoys cooking. John’s mother was from Germany and Ellen’s father is from Czechoslovakia (today Czechia), so European food is something they do together. She stated, “I love to experiment with new recipes, especially global cuisines. We enjoy the Eastern European foods we grew up with.”
Speaking of good eats, Ellen’s childhood near the beach gave her a love for seafood. She mentioned that Trestles Coastal Cuisine is a favorite spot to indulge in the fare and claimed she and John love supporting local restaurants.
Otherwise, Ellen cited her community as a favorable reminder of her youth. “Like the town where I was raised, we know our neighbors and everyone looks out for each other,” concluded Ellen.
Ellen and her husband, John O’Connor, enjoy dining at Trestles Coastal Cuisine.
Aislinn and Scotch are spoiled by Ellen. The border collies love to go on adventures with her.
By Marly Holsman; photos courtesy of Ellen O’Connor
