Richard Ellis

1924 - 2017

In Loving Memory
Sandy, UT-Our father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, Richard "Dick" L. Ellis DDS, 93, of Salt Lake City, Utah died peacefully at the home of his son on Saturday, August 26, 2017. We know there was great celebration in heaven as he joined so many that he has loved and lost. He was born on January 25, 1924 to Daniel LeRoy and Jennie June Higham Ellis. He married the love of his life, Eloise West Ellis on January 17, 1943 in the Salt Lake Temple.
Our father was passionate about so many things in life that it is difficult to know where to begin, family, friends, art, sports, gardening, photography, and of course, Dr. Pepper! He "gathered" friends wherever he went, and treasured them throughout his life. He graduated from Washington University, St. Louis, MO with is dental degree in 1951. He had a love of his profession, and maintained his practice for greater than 40 years. Dick loved anything and everything Native American, especially the Hopi and Navajo tribes. He convinced all of his children that the best weekends were the ones spent in "Hopi land" watching Kachina dances and visiting with new "family" and friends. He also loved to spend time in his "garden" in North Salt Lake. As Children, if we were not on the reservation with Dad, we were in the garden picking rows of peas that extended into the eternities. His love of gardening extended to his beautiful roses that surrounded our home.
Our father was also passionate about sports; hockey, basketball, and football in particular. Later in life he became a "turncoat" changing allegiance from the U of U to BYU, much to the chagrin of some of his children.
Richard proudly served his country in WWII as a munitions expert while stationed overseas in England. After completing dental school, he was stationed in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The greatest passion of his life was his sweetheart, Eloise with whom he shared many adventures over their 68 years of marriage. Their travels spanned the globe and unforgettably touched lives of all those they encountered. He has missed her dearly for 6 ½ years and we are grateful that they are now together again.
Richard is survived by his children; Richard (Tricia), Doug (Carmen), Mark, Susan Ellis Drossulis, and Charles (Vicki-lin). He is also survived by 15 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, September 2, 2017 at Memorial Mountain View Mortuary, 3115 East 7800 South (Bengal Boulevard), Cottonwood Heights. A viewing will be held at 10:00 AM prior to the service.
The family would like to thank IHC Hospice, especially Jeannie RN, Brittany RN, Rosa CNA, and Shantay CNA, for their attentive care over the past year.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the LDS Perpetual Education Fund, https://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/