Elinor Oswald, 92, 57-Year Resident

Elinor Byrne Scott Oswald, 92, a resident of Pacific Palisades for 57 years, died peacefully in Santa Barbara on October 7, 2013.  Born in New York City, she grew up in Pelham, NY, daughter of Holton H. and Agnes M. Scott.  She graduated from the Brearley School in Manhattan and made her debut at the Westchester Cotillion in 1938. She was a graduate of Vassar College (1942) and spent one year as an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where she was a member of Delta Gamma sorority, Homecoming Queen, and Queen of the Military Ball.

Ellie was predeceased by her husband of 66 years, Telford W. Oswald, in 2009.

She had a lifelong love of learning with strong interests in the arts, architecture, culture, and travel, and was an active volunteer in Los Angeles.  She was a founding member of the Docent Council at LACMA, and a member of the University Religious Conference at UCLA, the Junior League of Los Angeles, the Neighborhood Youth Association in Venice, and an active member and volunteer at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Pacific Palisades.

In 1971, Ellie began LA Today Custom Tours to share her knowledge of Los Angeles and its surrounding area, eventually branching out to organize tours all over the US and even abroad.  Her collection of newspaper and magazine articles about LA and vicinity is now archived at Pepperdine University as the Elinor Oswald Collection of Southern California Tourism Ephemera.

Ellie is survived by her four children:  Merrill Biancosino of Pennington, NJ; Jan Oswald of Denver, CO; Elizabeth Oswald of Lander, WY; and Scott Oswald of Seattle, WA; five grandchildren, Barbara Estrada, Zachary Price, Rebecca Price, Rowen Oswald and Cyrus Oswald; and three great-grandchildren Eli Price and Laila Price, and Kyle Estrada.

Ellie will be remembered with a celebration of her life at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church at a future date.  Donations in her memory may be made to Vassar College, 124 Raymond Ave, Box 725, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604.