Lois Marie ELLIS

Lois Marie Ellis passed away on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 at the Norlite Nursing Center in Marquette at the age of 86 after a courageous battle with Alzheimer's disease. She was a longtime resident of Marquette, living for 62 years at her log home on the hill at 917 West Ridge St. Lois was born in Milwaukee Wisconsin on August 7, 1928. She was raised there along with her brother, Robert Guerndt. Lois graduated at the head of her high school class in Milwaukee at the age of 16. She moved to Marquette and became a switchboard operator at Michigan Bell Telephone and St. Luke's Hospital. She met and married her husband Howard Ellis Sr. on July 8, 1946. When Howard and Lois began raising their three children, she became a homemaker. She grew a large vegetable garden as well as many flower and rose gardens. She loved her lilac and peony bushes in the spring, picked blueberries in the summer and coaxed gardenias to bloom inside her home in the winter. She enjoyed feeding wild birds in her yard and almost always had a canary in the house. Many happy dogs spent their lives in the Ellis home as well as a few guinea pigs. She also raised chickens and pet rabbits. In the 1970's Lois spent many hours at her CB radio and was well known by her handle, "Green Thumb". She made friends chatting with people on the radio waves. Lois guided truck drivers and other travelers throughout the local area with travel and weather information during countless Upper Peninsula snowstorms. After raising her children, Lois began working at Range Telecommunications. She became an avid Green Bay Packers fan. Lois possessed a great sense of humor and enjoyed funny stories and practical jokes. She often said: "It doesn't cost anything to laugh." After her retirement, Lois and her husband, Howard, created clocks, toys, plaques and yard ornaments in their wood working shop. She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and attending school programs, orchestra concerts and sporting events. Howard and Lois celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in July of 1996. Lois was preceded in death by her parents, Leslie and Marie (Werdeman) Guerndt and her husband of 52 years, Howard J. Ellis Sr. on April 25, 1998. Lois is survived by her three children, Howard L. (Sharon) Ellis, Louanne (Duane) Stam and Patricia (Charles) Blake. Her nine grandchildren include Christine Ellis, Cathy Tuimala, Vince (Carolyn) Tuimala, Carrie Rose, Michael (Vickie) Tuimala, Connie (Shawn) Horton, Samantha Stam, Daniel Stam and Charles Blake Jr. Lois has 6 great grandchildren. They are Dustin Ellis, Dylan Ellis, Adam Tuimala, Ben Rose, Kaitlin Tuimala and Seth Horton. Her two great, great granddaughters are Alexis Ellis and Hailey Rose. A public visitation will occur on Friday, November 7 from 12:00 until 2:00 p.m. at the Canale-Tonella Funeral Home in Marquette. A brief graveside service will be held at 2:30 P.M. at the Park Cemetery in Marquette with the Rev. Leon Jarvis presiding or at the funeral home in case of inclement weather. Memories may be shared at canalefuneral.com