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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Residents of Mount Pleasant lost two beloved |
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neighbors with the untimely deaths of Dr. John M. Ellis and his |
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wife, Lucille Ellis, both of whom passed away on December 21, 2006; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Born on June 1, 1917, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, |
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John Ellis graduated from Texas A&M University in 1939 and went on |
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to serve his country during World War II as a member of the U.S. Army |
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Medical Corps; in December 1942, he opened a private practice in |
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Mount Pleasant, where he became known for his compassionate and |
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integral approach to medicine and for his refusal to turn patients |
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away, regardless of their ability to pay; in addition to his |
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practice, he was instrumental in developing the Titus Regional |
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Medical District, which he served as a member of its board of |
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directors, and he also distinguished himself as interim |
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administrator of the hospital during his career; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Ellis gained national attention for his |
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extensive research on the benefits of vitamin B6, the findings of |
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which he published in five books; he retired on the 50th anniversary |
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of his first day of business, discarding for good the records of his |
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overdue accounts; and |
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WHEREAS, The former Lucille Haenni was born on September 18, |
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1920, in St. Louis, Missouri, where she developed a talent for art |
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at a young age; she went on to train as a commercial artist at the |
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Hadley Vocational School and subsequently studied life drawing at |
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Washington University; some of her earliest work included fashion |
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illustrations that were featured in Harper's Bazaar, Mademoiselle, |
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and Vogue magazines; and |
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WHEREAS, Following her marriage to Dr. Ellis in the late |
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1940s, Lucy Ellis remained a self-employed commercial artist, while |
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also fulfilling her role as a dedicated homemaker; in 1977, she was |
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instrumental in founding the Mount Pleasant Art Society, which she |
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continued to serve as a trustee, and she also taught a weekly |
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painting class in the community for many years; moreover, she was a |
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signature member of the Southwestern Water Color Society, which |
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honored her with its Merchant's Award in September 2006; and |
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WHEREAS, Devoted parents and grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. Ellis |
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were blessed with four children, Jeff, Gina, Joan, and John, 11 |
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grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren, and the couple were |
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valued members of First Christian Church; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. John Ellis made a positive difference in the |
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lives of innumerable people as a caring medical practitioner, and |
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the artistic gifts of Lucy Ellis served as an inspiration to many |
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area artists; although both will be deeply missed, they will long be |
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remembered with great affection for their meaningful |
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accomplishments; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby honor the lives of Dr. John M. Ellis and Lucille Ellis and |
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extend sincere sympathy to the members of their family: to their |
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sons, Jeff Ellis and his wife, Nan, and John Ellis and his wife, |
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Jane; to their daughters, Joan Roberts and her husband, Charlie, |
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and Gina Baldwin; to their grandchildren, Charlie Roberts, Jr., |
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Candace Woolard, Tyler Roberts, Jason, Jeremy, Lauren, and Clayton |
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Ellis, Jimmy Baldwin, Rynee Rohloff, Alison Stutzman, and Adriane |
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May; to their great-grandchildren, Noah Stutzman, Zachary Rohloff, |
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and Brayden Woolard; and to their other relatives and friends; and, |
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be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the members of their family and that when the Texas |
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House of Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in |
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memory of John and Lucille Ellis. |