Donald Lee Ellis, 84, passed away peacefully at home on March 21, 2016, with his family at his side. He was born on March 3, 1932 to Millard and Goldie Bess Ellis in Hamilton, Ohio. He attended Hanover High School and Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He married his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, Marian Caldwell, and had four children, Donnie, Gary, Marcy and Cheryl. While his career was at General Motors and Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, all who were close to him knew his true passions were his love of his family and country, the outdoors, and his varied and numerous interests and pursuits. As an avid reader with a photographic memory, he could regale his family and friends with information about innumerable subjects as well as quote poems by his favorite poets, Robert Service and Indiana’s James Whitcomb Riley. As an endowment member of the NRA, one of his most passionate interests was hunting and all things related to guns. In his younger adult years, he competed with the Butler County Gun Club in regional matches. In later years, his interest extended to the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association, building his guns and competing in numerous events. In his final years of competition with the NMLRA, he set national records for the slug gun competition in several distances, and continues to hold records. Art was another passion he studied at Miami University and pursued as an amateur artist through most of his life, especially his years in New Mexico. His other numerous interests ranged from the family farm on Mexico Ridge Road to beekeeping, fly fishing, winemaking, forestry conservation and local history. Donald was a Freemason with Rising Sun No. 6. He also served as a Volunteer Fireman in Bear Branch.
Donald will be greatly missed by his loving family and many close friends. He is survived by his devoted wife of 64 years, Marian Caldwell Ellis; his daughters, Marcy Ellis Hahn and husband Roger, and Cheryl Ellis Munoz and late husband Robert; his nine grandchildren, Jesse Munoz and wife Ashley, Eli Munoz, Annie Munoz, Alex Hahn, Garrett Hahn, Dawn Ellis Bolton and husband Chris, Weston Ellis, Ethan Ellis, and Amanda Ellis Gribbons and husband James; his five great-grandchildren, Alice Munoz, Tyler Hoskins, Derek Hoskins, Lillian Cline, and Sophia Gribbons; and his sister, Pat Everhart and husband Alvie. Donald was preceded in death by his two sons, Donald Ellis Jr. and Gary Ellis; his brother, Richard Ellis, and his parents.
Visitation will be on Monday, March 28th from 4pm – 6pm at the Stratton-Karsteter Funeral Home in Versailles. Funeral services will immediately follow at 6pm beginning with the Masonic ceremony, and with Don’s dear friend, David Ricketts, officiating the services. Graveside services will be held on Tuesday, March 29th at 12pm at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Hamilton, Ohio.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Bear Branch Volunteer Fire Department or Dave Goodwin Landscaping for a memorial tree.