Paul Charles Ellison

Paul Charles Ellison

Sweetwater, TX

Paul Charles Ellison, 66, passed away on Oct. 10, 2014, at his home in Sweetwater. He was born on Oct. 19, 1947, in Powell, WY the first of three sons of Mary Patricia (Jamieson) Ellison and James Ellison. Paul graduated from Kimball High School, NE, in 1967, where he was a member of the swimming and wrestling teams. He went on to graduate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

His career in the oil industry spanned 34 years and four countries. He began his career in Farmington, NM, moved to Denver, CO and Bakersfield, CA. His assignments beyond the US with Exxon-Mobil took him to Sumatra (Lhokeseumawe), Indonesia; Eket and Lagos, Nigeria; and Caracas, Venezuela.

Paul had a passion for architecture and woodworking and retired in 2005 to his Sweetwater home, which he designed and built over the preceding five years for he and his wife Diane. Construction of their home allowed him to spend time with and share his craft with his son-in-law, Patrick Taylor. The time spent together on various "projects" was especially meaningful to them.

Paul was an extraordinary husband, father and friend; he was generous and kind and an especially devoted grandfather. He enjoyed coaching his daughters' soccer teams, took them on many scuba diving adventures and formed the Ellison Racing Team for his grandchildren in 2000. Over the course of 11 years, 7 of his grandchildren participated in the Texas Midwest Soap Box Derby and Nathan and Morgan Way were Sweetwater champions, which allowed the Ellison Racing Team to compete in the All American Soap Box Derby in Akron, OH. Paul's philanthropy was especially evident in the sport of soap box racing as he purchased cars for local organizations and frequently loaned out his cars and donated his time, making it possible for other children to participate in the derby. He was a past recipient of the Director's Award for his outstanding contributions to soap box racing.

Paul is survived by his wife, Diane Flint Ellison; his children, Paula Crystell Ellison Gill and her husband Ryan, MD, Patricia Pasco Ellison, LaDonna Taylor and her husband Patrick and Andrew Way and his wife Grace. His seven grandchildren, James Boyd, Brittany Boyd, Jacob Taylor, Morgan Way, Caroline Taylor, Zachary Way and Tegan Crystell Gill will remember him with love and respect. His father, James Ellison and wife Anne, as well as his two brothers, Warren, MD and James, DDS and their wives Doris and Susan Ellison, will miss him dearly.

Paul was preceded in death by his mother, Patricia in 2005; and one grandson, Nathan Way in 2014.

"No man is indispensable, but some are irreplaceable."