Della Jane Ellisor

Della Jane "Janie" Jones Ellisor, 92, passed away June 21, 2025 with her family by her side. Janie was born April 11, 1933 in Carthage, Mississippi to Jesse and Zelma (Harrell) Jones. She grew up in the cotton fields of Mississippi and Louisiana, the daughter of sharecroppers. She often spoke about life during the depression, and how much she hated cotton.
During a visit from her Uncle Ollie and Aunt Lillian Johnson in June of 1950, Janie was invited to return with them to Security, Texas. She gladly accepted, and never looked back. Mother began her working career at the B&C Coffee Shop in downtown Conroe and later at Chester's Cafe. It was during this time she met a young GI named James Ellisor, "Cooter", from Cleveland. He proposed to her after seeing a western movie at the Crighton Theater and married December 29, 1951.
In the nearly thirty-one years of marriage, Janie became a true military wife. She polished uniform brass, knew how much starch to put in uniform shirts and how to precisely press those shirts. Additionally, she kept an immaculate house with waxed, polished floors and ironed bed linen. She "served" two tours of duty in Germany; the first in 1953 and the second in 1958 with three kids in tow.
In 1967, after Cooter retired from military service, the family moved to Conroe. In 1969, Janie went to work for Bill Taylor and Roy Auld at the Conroe Carwash, and in 1971, she began a twenty-five year career with CISD starting in the cafeteria at Conroe High. In 1973, she was transferred to the cafeteria at the Freshman building as the Asst. Manager. She transferred again, first to the district kitchen at Crockett Jr. High, then Knox Jr. High as manager. From there she went to administration as an assistant to Shirley Cook. Janie retired from CISD Child Nutrition in 1996, then worked for the CISD Security Department for another seven years.
Mother enjoyed sewing, crocheting, and quilting. She loved playing bingo at the VFW, going to the casinos and strawberry ice cream. She was an avid reader in her later years, until her sight began to fail.
Janie was preceded in death by her husband, son, Emory, daughter, Jennifer Mock, her parents, sisters Thesel Roundtree and Marvelle Cummings, brothers Hayes Harrell and Benjamin Jones. She is survived by her sons, James, Charles, Lynn and Donald and sister, Ann Simmons. Memaw is also survived by eight grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren.
No formal visitation or services are scheduled as requested. Private grave side services will be held at a later date in the Cleveland City Cemetery, Cleveland, Texas.