Elinore S. "Ellie" Palmer, 97, formerly of Newtown, Wilton, and Easton, died peacefully December 18.

Mrs Palmer, with her husband Gerry and two daughters, moved to Belden Hill in Wilton in 1952 and were quickly immersed in community activities at St Matthews Parish, the Wilton Garden Club, and the Wilton Playshop.

Her loved ones say she brought style and magic to almost everything she touched. She was a natural and could execute the most amazing interior transitions; staging a garden wedding scene in a church hall, and as easily reversing the assignment by transforming a school auditorium into an ecumenical church altar.

An enthusiastic gardener, she never met a plant she did not want to save and was early to embrace organic gardening and land conservation, both movements heralded by the Wilton Garden Club. She served on numerous Garden Club committees and continued in an advisory capacity after she resigned her position as club president when she moved to Easton in 1965. In 1994, she was honored as a life member of the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut and recognized again in 2005 for 50 years of service.

In Easton, Mrs Palmer continued her community involvement, serving as the corresponding secretary and a volunteer driver for the Easton Public Health and Nursing Association. The Palmer's move to Easton fulfilled her lifelong dream of "living on a farm." She talked her husband Gerry into a house and barn on 35 acres on a high plateau of split-rail-framed meadows, where Long Island Sound could be seen from the second floor. She filled the barn with horses and chickens, invited the neighboring farmer to graze his dairy cows, managed a small and highly productive orchard, took up apple cider making, raised oversized organic vegetables, and added a greenhouse to raise more exotic plant species.

In the late 90s she even hosted several polo matches on one of the fields. A studio addition to the house allowed Mrs Palmer to try her hand, with equal success, at everything from water colors to clay, wood and marble sculpture, and finally, arc-welding; a favorite. Her metal sculpture "Rooster" was exhibited in Massachusetts and later won first prize at the '85 Wilton Arts Council Show.

Always eager to try a new medium, Mrs Palmer was grateful for the mentoring of many local luminaries in the arts. She illustrated a children's book, staged award-winning flower shows, designed and painted sets for the Wilton Playshop, and studied landscape design at the University of Massachusetts, flower arranging in Tokyo, and art at the Silvermine School.

Two daughters, Marsha P. Gossard her husband Arthur of Santa Barbara, Calif., and Lynne P.  Boyd of Avon; five grandchildren, G. Christopher Gossard of Ventura, Calif., James F. Boyd of Norwell, Mass., Sue Gossard of Greenbrae, Calif., Emily B. Hanlon of New Canaan, and Matthew C. Boyd of San Francisco; eight great-grandchildren; and many wonderful friends survive her.

Her husband, Girard L. Palmer, predeceased her.

A memorial service is planned for the spring. Burial arrangements for the family are being made by Bouton Funeral Home in Georgetown.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to The ALS Association at alsa.org.