May 25, 2013
Date of Service: May 29, 2013
Interment Location: Mausoleum of Peace
Lewis J. Ellis, 80, of 133 Carson Drive, Johnson City, passed away Saturday, May 25, 2013, in the Johnson City Medical Center following an extended illness. Mr. Ellis was a native of Carter County and was a son of the late Earl G. and Mary Lee Massengill Ellis. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his first wife, JoAnn Carden; second wife, Louise Estep Ellis; sister, Grace Lee Boyd; and two brothers, C.S. Ellis and Kenneth Gene Ellis. Mr. Ellis was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving in the Korean Conflict. He was a lifetime member of the Capt. Lynn H. Folsom V.F.W. Post #2166, a retired Physician’s Assistant with the James H. Quillen V.A. Medical Center. After his retirement he opened a business for excavating work. Mr. Ellis was a member of Central Community Christian Church. He also loved bluegrass music. Survivors include his wife, Betty D. Ellis, of the home; two daughters, Debra Ellis Howe, of Kingsport, and Mary Beth Roe and husband, Josh, of Knoxville; three sons, James Daniel Ellis, of Kingsport, Michael Lewis Ellis and wife, Amy, of Piney Flats, and William Earl Ellis, of Nashville; five grandchildren, Virginia Marshall and husband, Phillip, Richard Matthew Howe, Madeline Michelle Howe, Brantley Ryan Ellis and Lauren Montgomery Ellis; soon to be his first great granddaughter, Lucy; sister, Betty Ellis Lawley, of Elizabethton; brother, Earl Ellis, of Elizabethton; two sisters-in-law, June Ellis Telleen and Maxine Harrison Ellis. Several nieces and nephews also survive. The funeral service for Mr. Ellis will be conducted at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 28, 2013, in the Chapel of Peace of Tetrick Funeral Home, Elizabethton, with Mr. Todd Wolfe and Mr. Mark Smith, ministers, officiating. The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Tuesday prior to the service in the chapel and friends may call at the residence at anytime. The committal and entombment service will conducted at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 29, 2013, in the Mausoleum of Peace at Happy Valley Memorial Park, with Military Honors provided by the Carter County Honor Guard. Active pallbearers will be selected from family and friends. Honorary pallbearers will be Albert Williams, Paul Ledford, Kevin Lewis, Joe Hughes, Dr. Michael Ponder, his friends at Sunshine Market II and his bluegrass buddies. Those wishing to attend the entombment service are asked to meet at 10:15 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home to go in procession to the cemetery. Those who prefer memorials in lieu of flowers, may make donations to the ETSU Bluegrass General Fund, Attn: Karen Sullivan, P.O. Box 70721, Johnson City, TN 37614. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.tetrickfuneralhome.com and signing the guestbook or by fax 423-542-9499. Tetrick Funeral Home of Elizabethton is serving the Ellis family. Office: 423-542-2232, Obit Line 423-543-4917.
