
Born January 4, 1938 in Casey County, KY, he was the son of the late Addy and Bannie Hughes Ellis. He was retired from the Jim Bean National Distillery and was a member of the Rocky Ford Masonic Lodge. He loved horses, mules, dogs, coon hunting and trail riding.
Survivors include his wife, Ina Lee Ellis, whom he married February 19, 1994; three sons, John Charles (and Marla) Ellis of Ohio, Warren (and Paula) Emerson of Ohio, and Earl (and Cathy) Emerson of Oklahoma ; three daughters, Linda Newman of Ohio, Patricia (and Jon) Reeves of Ohio, Sharon (and Tim) Hofmann of Ohio, ; eighteen grandchildren; nineteen great-grandchildren; a brother, Eugene (and Hilda ) Ellis of Ohio; and a sister, Sally Epler of Ohio.
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by a daughter, Debbie Abbott and three sisters, Margaret Elizabeth Sowders, Edna Faye DeBorde, and Louise Williams.
Funeral services are 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at McKinney-Brown Funeral Home with Bro. Leslie Bentley officiating. Burial will follow in Green River Valley Cemetery.
Visitation is Monday, February 1, 2016 from 6:00-9:00 P.M. at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to the funeral home to offset funeral expenses.
Funeral arrangements entrusted to McKinney-Brown Funeral Home with guestbook available online at www.mckinneybrown.com.