* Eleanor Liston; Victims’ Rights Advocate

Eleanor “Ellie” Liston, active in the victims’ rights movement and a retired nursing director, died Tuesday after a lengthy battle with cancer. She was 62.

Liston, who was born Jan. 16, 1937, in New York City to Marion and Thomas Shannon, grew up and went to school there. She graduated from Queens College in 1958 with a nursing degree.

In 1960 she moved with her husband, Tom, to Ventura, where she began a nursing career in 1964 at Community Memorial Hospital.

After retiring as director of nursing in 1979, she assumed the role of advocate for crime victims with the Ventura County district attorney’s office.

Liston was a moving force in victims’ rights and in establishing the district attorney’s Victim Services Division. In that role, she tried to help crime victims and their families regain dignity, self-respect and courage.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by one daughter, Delia Rocha of Ventura; two sons, Thomas Jr. and Matthew of Ventura; three brothers, Patrick, Danny and Thomas Shannon, and six grandchildren.

Memorial services were held Friday.

Contributions in her name may be made to the American Cancer Society in Ventura for Breast Cancer Research or to assist nursing students by writing to Ellie Liston Nursing Funds, c/o Ventura County district attorney’s office, Attn: Lela Henke-Dobroth, 800 S. Victoria Ave., Ventura 93009.

Arrangements were under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home in Ventura.