Francis, Ellis (1926-2003)

FRANCIS, HORTON, HESCHKE, DRAKE, SHAVER, HURLEY

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 11/3/2010 at 20:16:22

Ellis Francis
February 2, 1926 - April 1, 2003

Ellis H. Francis, 77, of Storm Lake, passed away on Tuesday, April 1, 2003.

The son of Clem and Grace (Horton) Francis, Ellis H. Francis was born on February 2, 1926, in rural Linn Grove. He attended Linn Grove Schools and following his graduation, he attended Buena Vista College for one year. He was a gunners mate on the ESSO Dartmouth in the U.S. Navy during WWII.

After his honorable discharge, Ellis finished his degree in business and education. He later received his master's degree at the University of Northern Iowa.

On Oct. 17, 1947, Ellis was united in marriage to Phyllis Heschke at the Methodist Church Parsonage. This union was blessed with five children: Marilyn, Donna, Larry, Thomas and Mark.

Ellis dedicated his life to teaching. He taught at Arcadia and at Lake Township near Terril; he was a superintendent at Cornell, Bayard, Meridan-Cleghom and Anthon-Oto schools; and he was a principal in the Manson school district. He was also the business manager at Southwestern Community College and taught at the Job Corp in Denison. Ellis retired in 1990.

Ellis was very active in his community. He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Storm Lake, and he served with Northwest Iowa Aging. He enjoyed working with genealogy and was active in the Buena Vista Genealogy and Buena Vista Historical Society. He also enjoyed gardening, traveling, and spending time with his family.

Ellis is survived by his wife, Phyllis, of Storm Lake; his mother, Grace Francis, of Sioux Rapids; two daughters, Marilyn Drake and her husband Rodney, of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Donna Shaver of Sioux City; three sons: Larry Francis and his wife Linda, of Fargo, North Dakota, Tom Francis and his wife Sherry, of Fort Dodge, and Mark Francis and his wife Donna, of Wonderlake, Illinois; 10 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; one sister, Jean Hurley and her husband Buck, of Oak Island, North Carolina; and one sister-in-law, Jean Francis, of Anoka, Minnespta.

Ellis was preceded in death by his father, Clem; three brothers, Joe, Jon and Bruce; one son-in-law, Patrick Shaver; and one brother-in-law, Robert Heschke.

A funeral service will be today, Saturday, April 5, 2003, at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Storm Lake. Interment will be in the Buena Vista Memorial Park Cemetery. The Sliefert-Asmus Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of arrangements.

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