Ellen Chestnutt Obituary

Chestnutt
Ellen JoAnne
Chestnutt
May 15, 1928
January 14, 2025

Ellen JoAnne Chestnutt, 96, of Colorado Springs, passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of January 14, 2025. Her final months were marked by two falls that resulted in fractures to both hips. Ellen was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Arthur and Lydia Ziemann. She was preceded in death by her parents, her older brother Fred, her husband of 32 years, William J. Chestnutt, and her son Greg.
Ellen was a retired attorney who graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Science degree in botany. In 1952 she received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School and was the only female in the graduating class. Although Ellen was shy by nature and did not initially plan to become a trial lawyer, her participation in law school mock trials made her highly sought after to play female roles in court scenarios. Ellen recalled in those days law school exams could be 4 hours long with essay-type questions; she made history by advocating to type her exams using her portable typewriter, paving the way for change in a male-dominated environment.
A job offer to join the editorial staff of Shepard's Citations brought Ellen to Colorado, where she met and married William John (Bill) Chestnutt. The couple had four sons in four years. While working at Shepard's, Ellen became pregnant with her first son, David. At the time, Shepard's had a policy requiring women to quit at five months pregnant. Ellen, however, successfully argued that this policy did not apply to her role in the editorial department, becoming the first pregnant editor in the history of Shepard's Citations
In 1964, Ellen opened her private law practice creating a community with only two other active female attorneys. Reflecting on how times changed Ellen recounted the following, "The court rule requiring parties to 'dress appropriately' meant women were not allowed to wear slacks in court. One of my clients had a long walk to come to my office before her scheduled divorce hearing. It was a cold day she arrived wearing warm slacks. I knew she would not be allowed in for her hearing wearing slacks, so I had her roll her slacks up to her knees and keep her coat on all during the hearing. She got her divorce." She also spoke of how in 1964 there wasn't air conditioning in the courthouse (now the Pioneer Museum) and on very hot days she remembers the windows in the Division One courtroom being opened to let in some fresh air in spite of the noisy traffic on Nevada Ave.; on numerous occasions pigeons would fly in the windows and "flap" around the court room. She later became the first female deputy district attorney in the 4th Judicial District of Colorado and ultimately served as the first Chief Deputy District Attorney in the state. Ellen specialized in addressing interstate child support cases, an area where her leadership brought transformative changes. Her work resulted in federal and state laws being amended and modeled after her team's success in El Paso County. One of her career highlights was her invitation to testify before a Senate Congressional hearing in Washington, D.C., at the request of Chairman Jesse Helms. In 1974, Ellen was appointed to the National Task Force on Child Support and later served on a federal advisory committee to draft regulations for the program. Ellen's caree was filled with many successful felony convictions, in one particular year she tried 24 consecutive felony cases without losing one.
Throughout her career, Ellen received numerous prestigious awards, including life memberships and leadership roles in the National Welfare Fraud Association, the National Child Support Enforcement Association, the Colorado Family Support Council, and the Colorado Welfare Fraud Council. She was also recognized by the Colorado Women's Bar Association for 25 years of service and received the Portia Award for outstanding female attorneys. One of Ellen's cherished accolades was a personal letter from Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
After leaving the district attorney's office, Ellen taught part-time at Pikes Peak Community College and the Colorado Springs Police Academy. She also served as an appeals referee with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.
Ellen's life extended far beyond her professional achievements. Growing up in Milwaukee, she was a shy yet accomplished student and athlete. She played the cello in the Milwaukee All-City String Ensemble, clarinet in the Wisconsin All-State Band, and piano. She excelled in field hockey, and swimming. She participated in synchronized swimming programs and earned second place in women's high board diving competitions in both Wisconsin and Colorado. Two of her favorite stories were about being a life guard at the Broadmoor Hotel and hiking Pikes Peak by moonlight, only to encounter a snowstorm that tested her resilience.
Ellen was also a dedicated member of the First United Methodist Church Chancel Choir for 18 years, an experience that included singing in European cathedrals during a choir tour. She was deeply committed to her family, balancing a demanding career with her roles as a loving wife and mother. Ellen prepared school lunches, cooked family meals, helped with homework, and even sewed and mended clothes. Her brownies and holiday cookies were legendary. Ellen also volunteered at a nursery school, taught her sons to swim, was a Parent Teacher Association officer, a home room mother, a cub scouts den mother, a neighborhood watch captain, and a county election judge
Her hobbies included swimming, reading, and genealogy. Ellen traced her family lineage back to the 1600s, discovering ancestors who fought in the American Revolution, a connection to Amelia Earhart, and ties to the family that homesteaded a ranch, for whom Blodgett Peak is named, and what is now the U.S. Air Force Academy. She was a member of the Pikes Peak Genealogical Society and the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Ellen believed that when a person dies, the world loses a small library. Her wisdom, tenacity, and warmth will be deeply missed by those who knew her. She is survived by three sons, David, Doug, and Tim, and five grandchildren, Heather, Joshua, Justin, Tatum, and Courtney.
In accordance with her wishes, Ellen will be cremated, and a memorial service will be announced at a later date. One of her favorite quotes reflects her enduring humor: "Old lawyers never die; they just lose their appeal."