Mary M. Ellis

Mary Margaret Howard Ellis passed away at 1:45 a.m. Saturday January 1, 2022, at Bement Health Care Center, Bement, Illinois. Mary was born in Homer, Illinois on November 29, 1922, the eldest daughter of Mark Clarence Howard and Georgia Bernice Brown. Mary was preceded in death by her husband, her mother and father, an infant brother and sister and a great grandson. She married Charles Dale Ellis on August 21, 1943, in Storrs, Connecticut. Dale passed away on June 28, 2002.

Surviving are three sons, Steven Roy Ellis (Olivia) of Nellysford, VA, Mark Charles Ellis (Joanie) of Mendocino, CA and Roger Dale Ellis (Kathy) of St Joseph, IL. Also surviving are two sisters Arlene (Paul) Jaynes of Winston-Salem, NC, Joan Robinson of Greenbrae, CA, nine grandchildren, nine great grandchildren.

Mary was raised in a hardworking farming family and grew up in and around Homer, Illinois and met Dale there. During World War II while Dale was in the 96th Infantry Division in the Pacific theater, Mary lived and worked on the University of Illinois campus. She was well known in the College of Agriculture. She eventually worked her way up to Office Administrator in the Department of Food Science. She worked at the U of I during the tenure of Dr. Milner and Dr. Siedler for 30 years, retiring in 1979. She seemed to know everyone. On holidays she would often invite Ag and Food Science students from all parts of the world to our home for holiday dinners. Thus, the Ellis brothers grew up with an awareness and appreciation for people of diverse nationalities and ethnicities. Many graduate students would return to the College after graduation to see Mary and thank her for her friendship, her kindness and her guidance. She was always there for family, friends and students.

In addition to her work in Food Science she was a homemaker, cooked and cleaned, and ran Steve, Mark and Roger around to all of their various sporting events (baseball, basketball, football, wrestling, swimming and skating). Mary was an active member in the American Business Women's Association, Secretariat, Junior Service League, Flossie Wiley PTA and a Cub Scout leader for five years.

After retirement Mary and Dale moved to Barefoot Bay, Florida for 13 years. It was during this time that Mary developed her artistic skills. She had always loved art and did oil painting from time to time while working and raising her family. Her first painting was a view of the family farm in Bismarck in1956 when she was 33 years old. While in Florida she honed her craft and became well known for her Americana style artwork, selling hundreds of works and winning many awards for her colorful paintings of covered bridges, barns, roosters, geese, pelicans, landscapes and seascapes. Mary was a member of the Square Dance Club, the Barefoot Bay Artists Guild and the Sebastian Art Club. Florida was great but Champaign Urbana was home and in 1992 Mary and Dale returned to be with family and friends where they celebrated their 50th anniversary and Grandma Howard's 100th birthday.

Having read a lot and having known so many international students at the University, Mary was interested in travel, and she took several trips which included countries in Europe, the Hawaiian Islands and Mexico.

We were blessed to have had her for 99 years. Our mother, sister, wife and daughter, Mary Ellis, will be greatly missed. A private graveside memorial ceremony will be held at a later date at Sunset Memorial Park in Danville Illinois.

Memorials may be made to Family Service, 405 S. State, Champaign, Illinois 61820 or the donors choice