Ellsworth M. Jennison Sr.
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Ellsworth M. Jennison Sr., 85, a trademark lawyer for more than 60 years in the Washington area, died Oct. 21 at Inova Fairfax
Hospital of complications from injuries suffered in a fall. He lived in Alexandria.
Mr. Jennison was born in Washington and as a young man played amateur baseball and football. He graduated from Eastern
High School and then National University Law School in 1942.
After serving in the Navy with the Atlantic Fleet during World War II, he went to George Washington University, where he received
a master's degree in patent law in 1948.
That same year he founded his own law firm, which grew into a prestigious practice in the field of intellectual property with
Fortune 500 and international clients, including Goodyear, Anheuser-Busch Inc., Wyeth Corp. and the Topps trading card
company.
Regarded as something of an institution at the Commerce Department, Mr. Jennison, who was known for his calm and steady
presence, conducted thousands of trademark searches during his practice of law.
The firm, Jennison and Shultz in Crystal City, is one of the few family firms in the United States specializing in trademark law.
Mr. Jennison moved to the Alexandria area of Fairfax County in 1953 and settled in the Dowden Terrace community, where he
was president of the homeowners association and a founder of the community swimming pool.
He also was a leader in the Boy Scouts of America and a coach of youth baseball and Catholic Youth Organization basketball
teams.
He was a member of the American Bar Association, the International Trademark Association, the American Intellectual Property
Law Association, Catholic War Veterans, Knights of Columbus and St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Falls Church.
He also belonged to the U.S. Power Squadron and maintained a second home in Virginia's Westmoreland County, where he
and his family enjoyed boating and fishing.
Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Mary Kiley Jennison of Alexandria; seven children, Ellsworth Jennison Jr. of San
Francisco, John Jennison of Fairfax, Carl Jennison of Fairfax City, Stuart Jennison of Annandale, Kathryn Shultz of Springfield,
Christine Jennings of Marshall and Mary Alice Spivey of Gaithersburg; a sister; and nine grandchildren.
2005