David Lange Ellis

David Lange Ellis, 83, of Louise, Texas, passed away peacefully at home on August 22, 2025, surrounded by his family. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on June 2, 1942, to David Cyrus Ellis and Helen Marcyle Lange Ellis, David grew up in Louisiana, Texas, and New York as his family travelled due to his father's job with the U. S. Customs Service. Growing up, David was very involved in athletics, including setting several high school track and field records in New York. He was also very active in the Boy Scouts of America, including achieving Eagle Scout, as well as serving as a lifeguard and rifle training counselor at several Boy Scout camps. Upon graduating from high school, David joined the U.S. Army. He was selected to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, and he was a very proud member of the class of 1967. He graduated from George Mason University with a degree in Mathematics in 1975. He was employed for 32 years by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), most of which were served abroad in foreign countries including Bolivia, Nepal, Iran, Liberia, Egypt, Germany, Kuwait, Pakistan, and Mexico. He received multiple awards throughout his career, including being awarded the CIA's Career Intelligence Medal, the citation for which noted his "exceptionally meritorious service" and cited that his "many commendable achievements earned him the reputation as a strong leader, a firm yet fair manager, a skillful planner and negotiator, and an innovator whose ideas help to enhance the Agency's capability in the important areas of intelligence collection, analysis and production." It also recognized that his "many accomplishments and his superior sense of loyalty, responsibility and dedication have earned him the highest admiration and respect of his colleagues, reflecting great credit upon himself, the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal service." After retirement from the CIA, he served as an Intelligence Analyst for the San Marcos Police Department Narcotics Division for almost ten years. He was blessed to have loved and been exceptionally good at each of his careers. Upon retirement from the San Marcos Police Department, he built a log cabin and then retirement home on family property in Louise, Texas. He loved being surrounded by family, enjoying the "ranch life" including raising cattle (as pets, letting his grandchildren name and hand-feed them), endless "projects", tinkering with tractors and other equipment in his barn, keeping four wheelers running for grandchildren, numerous family cookouts and other gatherings, and enjoying quiet evenings with his wife. David married Kathleen Appling of Louise, Texas on July 6, 1966, and they had four children: Andrea Kathleen, David Scott, John Michael, and Elizabeth Marcyle. His family travelled with him to many of the countries listed above, as they enjoyed learning about new cultures and experiencing these countries together. David will be forever remembered by his wife Kathleen of Louise, TX; their children Andrea Rogers of The Woodlands, TX; John (and wife Alissa) Ellis of Louise, TX; Elizabeth (and husband Jason) Williams of Louise, TX; daughter-in-law Jennifer Pettus Ellis McIrvin of Washingtonville, NY; his grandchildren Brandon, Alek, and Sara Kate Rogers of The Woodlands, TX; Ethan (and wife Lorena) Ellis of Edinburg, TX and Emily Ellis of Warrenton, VA; Alina and John Riley Ellis of Louise, TX; Isabella and Jared Williams of Louise, TX; his great-granddaughters Addison and Lucia (arriving soon) Ellis of Edinburg, TX; sister Linda (and husband Charlie) Jennett of Wimberley, TX; brother Robert (and wife Becky) Ellis of Reno, NV and a large extended family, friends, West Point classmates and colleagues. David was preceded in death by his parents David and Marcyle Ellis of Austin, TX, his son David Scott Ellis of Klamath Falls, OR, and his parents-in-law Claude and Kathleen Appling of Louise, TX. A private memorial service will be held on Wednesday, August 27, 2025. David will be laid to rest alongside his son, David Scott Ellis, at the private family cemetery in Louise, Texas. Pallbearers include John Ellis, Jason Williams, Brandon Rogers, Ethan Ellis, Alek Rogers, and John Riley Ellis, with Jared Williams serving as an honorary pallbearer. Memorial donations can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project. https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/