Obituary for Lawrence Ellis

Ponca City Now - February 21, 2014 12:00 am

Lawrence Edward Ellis of Blackwell, Oklahoma, died Thursday, February 20, 2014 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Enid, Oklahoma at the age of 82 years.

Lawrence Edward Ellis was born on October 29, 1931, in Yardale, Arkansas, to Charles Elmer Ellis Sr. and Verna Lee (Wheeler) Ellis. Growing up, his family lived in and attended school several towns in Oklahoma and Arkansas. He married Norma Jean Challis on March 24, 1950, in Blackwell, Oklahoma. As a young man he worked at the Elk Valley Alfalfa Mill, Blackwell Elevator, helped build the Medford Elevator, worked on wheat harvest and at the glass plant in Blackwell. He later worked at the Zinc Smelter for twenty-three years, ran a Phillip 66 gas station for seven years, ran a car parts department. He enjoyed collecting die cast cars, playing bingo and being a shade tree mechanic.

He is survived by his wife Norma Jean Ellis of Blackwell, Oklahoma; two daughters, Sherry Lee Little of Blackwell, Oklahoma, Virginia Ann Corless of Choctaw, Oklahoma; three sons, Charles Edward Ellis of Paragould, Arkansas, Lawrence LeRoy Ellis of Blackwell, Oklahoma, Billy Leon Ellis of Blackwell, Oklahoma; one sister, Twila June Ellis Pursley of Pargould, Arkansas; two brothers, Jerry Russell Ellis of Tonkawa, Oklahoma, and Charles Elmer Ellis Jr. of Paragould, Arkansas; fourteen grandchildren; thirty great grandchildren; and two great great grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, Karen Jean Ford; one grandson, Clinton Ellis; one granddaughter, Janet Butzback; four sisters, Virginia Lee Ellis, Willa Mae Ellis Koehn, Naomi Adelaide Ellis Petosa, and Jewell Irene Jordan; and three brothers, Virgil Theodore Ellis, Terry Lee Ellis and Dallas Leon Ellis.

Services are scheduled for 1:30 p.m., Monday, February 24, 2014, at the First Free Will Baptist Church, Blackwell, Oklahoma, with Rev. Kevin Bookout officiating. Burial will follow at the Blackwell Cemetery, Blackwell, Oklahoma.

Casketbearers will be Brian Ellis, Mike Gaither, Keith Ellis, Lance Wilson, Jason Corless, and Steven Ford. Honorary Casketbearers will be Clinton Ellis, Marlon Silcox, Great Grandchildren and Great Great Grandchildren of Lawrence Ellis.

A memorial in his honor has been established with Andy Ellis Baseball Scholarship and the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation c/o Roberts and Son Funeral Home, 120 West Padon, Blackwell, Oklahoma 74631.