Elisa Lane Vermilye (formerly Mary Ellen Gormley, née Pratt), was born on May 24, 1958 in Bethesda, MD, to Catherine Louise Lane Pratt (d.) and William Leonidas Pratt, Sr. (d.). She was one of ten children, including: sisters Charlotte Parrott, Susan Alexander (d.), Cynthia “Cindy” Peel (d.), Martha Curry (d.), Kathleen “Kathy” Brosnan, Jeanne Main; and brothers Jim Pratt, John Pratt, and William “Billy” Leonidas Pratt, Jr. (d.).

Elisa attended Walter Johnson High School, Ursuline Academy, and Walt Whitman High School. She was known to be the one driving friends around to events and parties. She went on to study Pre-Med at Montgomery College, and in 1986 received a Master of Science degree in Molecular Biochemistry and Genetics from George Washington University. After encouragement from a professor, she decided to switch her career pursuits to Law, receiving a Juris Doctor degree in Law from University of Maryland in 1989.

Elisa began her career in Law working for the United States Patent and Trademark Office. In 1991, she was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar and additionally was admitted to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on August 2, 1994. She worked for pharmaceutical companies such as the Dutch company Akzo Nobel, which led to her brief residence in Oss, Netherlands representing the company’s US division. After returning to Maryland, she continued working for pharmaceutical companies including Shire Labs, Panacea Pharmaceuticals, and MedImmune. She finished her career as Senior Counsel / Director of Global Collaboration Agreements in the Oncology Division of AstraZeneca. Elisa was also admitted to the Maryland Court of Appeals on April 5, 2021, though her most cherished professional accomplishment was being admitted to the Supreme Court Bar on October 6, 2025.

Elisa had her daughter, Valerie Jeanne Lane Gormley, on February 1, 1995. Valerie grew up watching her mother’s passion for her work, and in her early years could often be found playing under her mother’s desk. They often began their mornings together playing Solitaire and Backgammon on the office computers. She spoke to young Valerie as an adult, often involving her in her work. She taught Valerie the importance of working hard, to be productive, and to do things that help other people. She instilled in Valerie the importance of learning and reading, allowing her to read books on any topic of interest. Once, they stayed hours in Barnes & Noble, selecting tons of books to purchase, and the store stayed open late to accommodate. Over the years, she showed Valerie new places and cultures around the world, including the Netherlands, France, Germany, Scotland, England, Canada, and around the United States. They also simply loved taking night time walks with their dog, Punki (original).

However, Elisa was not just another corporate suit. She was fashionable! She loved unique designs and bright colors. This led her to opening her own women’s boutique in Gaithersburg, MD, aptly named Threads of Evidence, inspired by her work in Law. She enjoyed going to trade shows, meeting designers, visiting their studios, and curating a beautiful collection of statement pieces for her customers. Even after the unfortunate closing of her boutique, she maintained her passion for shopping, and loved to patronize other local boutiques around Maryland. Elisa’s showstopping style was completed with her signature taste in old school Mercedes, most notably her gold 1980’s 300SD that kept chugging so long the odometer had stopped.

Elisa enjoyed tending to her gardens and even enjoyed volunteering to help with gardening at the Kunzang Palyul Choling Buddhist Temple in Poolesville, MD. She identified as Buddhist because she agreed with the sentiment of seeking to end suffering. This seemed fitting, because whenever she was asked what she would like for a gift, she would respond with “Peace, Love, and Happiness!”

Accordingly, she loved bringing happiness to, and helping, other people. Here is her recollection of a Christmas Eve adventure in 2022:

So, daughter Valerie Gormley and I went all around town today playing Santas, bringing little gifts to friends and handing out $20 bills to people who looked like it would make them happy. In the middle of it all, we saved a life. Yes, that's right. An elderly lady was apparently having a stroke and almost drifted right into my (new) car from the other side of Georgia as we were in the left hand turn lane to go into the cemetery where my parents lie. Valerie said HONK, HONK, and I did, and the lady came to and stopped inches from us. I went to check on her - she was very confused. Another lady ran over from across the street and took her car keys. We all tried calling 911, and none of our calls would go through. So I tried 240-777-7000 (not knowing where I got this from) and it was the Sheriff. I told him what was happening and he dispatched rescue. Within minutes a fire truck and ambulance were there and took the lady to the hospital. I asked the other lady who was assisting if she'd been waiting for a bus (thinking we'd give her a ride instead, in this cold weather), and she said, no, she was trying to cross the street to buy some lottery tickets at the gas station for Christmas. Well, she became one of the recipients of a $20 bill. I hope the elderly lady pulls through OK and I hope the other lady wins the lottery!

She also loved riding horses, and had owned a quarter horse named Travis, stabled at Nothing Fancy Farm in in Poolesville, MD, where she also received awards from horse shows. She also loved staying active by riding bikes, and was a Bike Patrol volunteer on the C&O Canal Trail.

Elisa envisioned life like a Maxfield Parrish painting. She loved to dance and listen to music with friends and family, whether at home or out at various venues around Bethesda. She was a huge supporter of the local music scene, and even commissioned bands to play for friends and family in her backyard. She communicated through music, sharing songs with people to communicate her own thoughts and feelings. She is reminding you now to look back on songs she shared with you, to know how she truly felt.

She met Charles James “Jamie” Vermilye in February 24, 2012 while out with friends listening to music at one of her many stomping grounds, the Knights of Columbus. They later married on December 31, 2017. Elisa, together with her close friend Genia Kurtz Isbell (d.), organized a huge Wedding party held on June 9, 2018 for all her friends to come celebrate her marriage to Jamie. Together they adopted their lovely Feist dog, Punki (2) on September 11, 2022. She enjoyed tending to the garden of their Bethesda home, which she named Redbud Hill. Before falling ill with cancer in March 2025, she had an amazing February trip with Jamie to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she won hundreds at the casino, took a tour of the Bacardi Rum Factory, and enjoyed the beautiful beach and weather together. Jamie loved that she always lived life on her own terms, and they had a true partnership that they could co-exist simply as themselves.

Elisa was very kind, brave, stubborn, and opinionated, qualities that helped her push to fight her cancer as long as she did. Though she had spent her career helping to advance research in oncology, there was no cure for her condition yet. It is with our deepest sorrow that we announce Elisa Lane Vermilye has left us on December 18, 2025 in Washington, DC after a hard battle with cancer, and is now continuing onward to her next glorious adventure.

You may also view photos of Elisa’s life here. Please feel free to add any photos you may have: https://albums.memento.com/el…

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