Ellen Jean Clippard

1933 - 2021

Ellen Jean Clippard (nee McBride) of St. John, St. Louis County, Missouri, passed from our world into the splendor and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ's world on Monday, March 1st, 2021, at her daughter's home in Kent, Washington, where she had lived the past three months.  She was 87.

She is survived by her daughter, Laura Ann Lewis (Steven) of Kent, Washington; her son, David Thomas Clippard (Dennis McCalpin) of Dallas, Texas; her sister, Pat Shelby (David) of Summerfield, Florida; grandchildren, Robert Lewis (Eileen) of Seattle, WA, Jennifer Lee (D. Angus) of Vancouver, WA, Julianne McCullough (David) of Tacoma, WA, Michael Lewis of Des Moines, WA, Christopher Lewis (Kim) of Federal Way, WA, Ellen Lewis (Randy Gallier) of Seattle, WA, Justin Lewis (Christina) of Auburn, WA; and fourteen great-grandchildren, Noah, Madeleine, Jack, Conor, Ethan, Alexander Michael, Lucas, Athena, Alexander Evan, Seamus, Sylvia, Logan, Rook, Talitha, along with two more grandchildren due this year.  She is also survived by many loved and loving nephews and nieces and great nephews and nieces as well as beloved cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Dewey Thomas and Gertrude Theresa (nee Ahrens) McBride; husband, David Ernest Clippard; son, Donald Robert Clippard; grandson, David William Clippard; and brother, Quentin Robert Paul McBride; all having been of St. Louis, Missouri.

Ellen was born on September 30, 1933, in St. Louis, Missouri to parents Dewey Thomas McBride and Gertrude Theresa (nee Ahrens) McBride. She lived almost the entirety of her life in St. John, St. Louis County, Missouri. She graduated from Normandy High School in 1951 in Wellston, St. Louis. She married David Ernest Clippard on her mother's birthday of September 13th in 1952, just over a year after he returned from the Chosin Reservoir in Korea where he had been wounded. Ellen and David welcomed three children into their family, Laura, David and Donald in whom their father instilled a strong work ethic and their mother taught them how to dream and what unconditional love was.  They lived most of their married life in Overland, St. Louis County, Missouri, until David's death in 1972. Thereafter, she finished raising their children and moved back to St. John.  Ellen supplemented the family's income with secretarial work at the U.S. government Department of Records in St. Louis. She was an accomplished typist and could type 120 words a minute without errors on the old select Royal typewriters. Her next job was working for the Marine Corps recruiting department and then in her later years, she worked as an Administrative Assistant at the University of Missouri St. Louis in the Behavioral Studies Department. She retired from both the government and the University.  

As a young woman, she was an excellent volleyball player and softball pitcher and played for many years before and after motherhood. She was even recruited to play in the women's pro softball league but didn't because her mother forbade it. As a young mother, she always made a point to come to her children's school looking her best with make up and her best clothes on. She was so beautiful and her children were so very proud that she was their mother!

First and foremost, Ellen was a treasured person of great depth and worth, humbly giving freely of herself to those in need. She had an indomitable spirit and her love was always unconditional, a quality not often found in today's world. In later years, she became a member of the Tillicum Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.  

She was long time member of Our Lady of the Presentation Catholic Church in Overland, where she received her first Communion, Confirmation, and was married.

Services: Visitation and Rosary service at Our Lady of the Presentation Church, 8860 Tudor Avenue, Overland, Missouri on Friday, March 12 from 9:00 a.m. until the Funeral Mass at 10:00 a.m. with Father Mark Dolan as Celebrant. Her burial follows at Lake Charles Park Cemetery, 7775 St. Charles Rock Road, Bel Nor, Missouri where she will be laid to rest with her family that preceded her. (Family and guests are required by St. Louis County regulations to wear facial coverings and practice social distancing. Please do not attend if you are feeling ill, running a fever, in a high risk group or have been exposed to COVID-19 recently.)

The Shepard Funeral Chapel is honored to assist Ellen's family. Please contact our office at 314-426-6000 if you have questions or need assistance.