Ella Gutowski, popular ETHS student, dies at 17
A note from the round table: Ella participated in the RoundTable’s summer internship program in 2023. At weekly meetings, she gave thoughtful responses to discussion topics and shared ideas with the other students about possible stories. She worked carefully and seriously on her articles. For her Profile of James WolinskiShe conducted a long personal interview and the article was well received.
About the creation of the bust of Jean Baptiste Pont DuSable required several steps – personal attendance at an Arts Council meeting, telephone interviews, and some drafting as information was sporadic.
We all appreciated her cheerful nature, her willingness to explore different writing styles – and to make revisions – and her dedication to writing a good and true story. We mourn the loss of a brave young woman and are grateful for the time we were able to spend with her.
Ella Claire Gutowski, beloved daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin, friend and student, passed away on August 15, 2024 at the age of 17 in her home in Evanston.
Born on June 28, 2007 in Chicago, Ella was the younger sister of Benjamin Gutowski and the child of Jamie Rosman and Timothy Gutowski. She had a sparkle in her eyes and an infectious laugh and brought joy wherever she went.
At age 7, Ella and her family moved from Chicago to Evanston, where she attended Willard Elementary, Haven Middle School, and Evanston Township High School. Despite her absences, Ella continued to excel academically. She was a consistently good student and was scheduled to graduate with honors in May 2025.
Ella was curious, creative, and loved to read and write from a young age. She wanted to study creative writing in college. She was a published author with her name in several publications. Her writing received numerous awards, most recently the highest award from the National Council of Teachers of English for the state of Illinois in 2024. The essay was about “becoming” – describing how her illness did not define her, but had shaped her as a writer and a person.
Ella has served on the youth board of Ronald McDonald House Charities and was the health group leader for the ETHS Community Service Club. She was elected to the board this year. She co-chaired the “Gold Outs” with Cal’s Angels, where fans wore gold at college sports events to raise awareness for childhood cancer.
She was an avid athlete – she played AYSO and club soccer since age 8 and played basketball and softball in the Park District for many years. In high school, she played soccer as a freshman and ran cross country for two years.
Ella enjoyed spending time with her entire family – grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. Whether on spring break trips, beach trips, summers up north or holiday celebrations, she loved being with them. She inherited the best qualities of all her family ancestors and had special nicknames for many of them. She often took trips with her grandmother, mother, aunts and her cousins, which gave her several unwavering bonds and role models as she grew into a young woman. She was heir to the unique Gutowski/Rosman sense of humor.
Her brother Ben was her best friend. With her “Bean” she loved to annoy her parents, watch bad movies, go skiing and eat ice cream. With her dad “Bug” she loved to walk her dog Boots, watch movies and eat her favorite foods. And with her mom – her “Su” – she loved everything else: sitting in the sun, girls’ trips, Broadway shows or just discussing the world and her place in it.
Ella had a large group of friends from different groups and interests. She was just as happy driving around with them and listening to music or going to the movies as she was hanging out with them at their house and baking cookies or playing games. And she loved paddling with them on Dempster Street Beach. Ella was also happy on her own, whether she was building Legos, reading books, or doing word searches.
Ella lived her life fully and courageously. Her motto was “Sisu,” a Finnish term for determination, resilience, grit, and courage. She focused on life and applied that idea to everything she did in her life and to everyone she loved. She would have written this better than we could.
Ella did everything, big things and small. She never hid from her circumstances or avoided a challenge when she had every reason to. She accomplished an extraordinary amount in 17 years. Her joy, compassion and spirit were unmistakable to everyone who met her. Those who knew and loved her will never forget her and her absence will always be felt.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Cal’s Angels, 2422 West Main St., Unit 3B, St. Charles, Illinois 60175, www.calsangels.org. On the Cal’s Angels donation page, please use the dropdown menu to make your donation in memory of Ella Gutowski.
To plant trees in remembrance, please visit the Sympathy shop.
