In 1973 she married Neels Harmse * 1939 Schweizer Reineke, and they have two daughters, Benita and Anja, and one grandson Tristan. She realised that not much research had been done on the HARMSE family, and is doing so now. She posted the draft composition in the Heritage Foundation's library and at the Library of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in Wellington, which contains the GISA collection, for comment and to be supplemented and updated annually with the latest information.
Ellen organises the archives tour to the various archives for the GSSA every year. From a small beginning when they initially only went to the Western Cape Provincial Archive (formerly KAB), it has grown; so much so that tours to the Free State Provincial Archives and also to the National Archives in Pretoria are now being arranged.