Hollis Ellis

1930 - 2015

Hollis Ellis

Sweetwater, TX

Hollis Ellis, age 85, died Thursday, April 9, 2015 at Rolling Plains Memorial Hospital in Sweetwater. Services are planned for 2:00 P.M. Sunday, April 12, 2015 at McCoy Chapel of Memories with Cecil Davis officiating. Burial will follow at the Garden of Memories Cemetery. A visitation will be from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. Saturday, April 11, 2015 at the funeral home. McCoy Funeral Home in Sweetwater is in charge of arrangements. Hollis was born January 18, 1930 to the late E.B. and Essie Mae Ellis in Stamford, Texas. He graduated from Newman High School in Sweetwater in 1947 and attended college at John Tarleton in Stephenville. He married Dolores "Dody" Gilliam in 1948 and they had four children. She preceded him in death in 1984. He later met and married June Clark. He was active in numerous civic organizations. Hollis served as state vice president of the Future Farmers of America (FFA), past president of the Sweetwater Jaycees, Boy Scout leader, co-founded and chaired the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup for three years. He was a past member of Downtown Lions Club and Chamber of Commerce. He served on the hospital board four years and was a charter member of the Sweetwater Country Club. He was a lifetime member of the Elks Lodge and Sweetwater Jaycees. Hollis served as a director of Taylor Electric Co-op and president of Lake Sweetwater Volunteer Fire Department. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Sweetwater. He was well known for his love of hunting, fishing and gardening. He lived in Doloras, Colorado for three years where he ranched and mined uranium in Utah. He later moved back to Sweetwater and was a wholesale oil and gas distributor for Humble Oil and Refining for ten years until he purchased Morse Transfer and Storage which he owned and operated from 1967 until he retired in 2003. Hollis is survived by his wife June, three daughters, Vickie and husband James Pannell of Troup, Leasia and husband Mark Fagert of Houston, Kim Hicks of Austin and one son, Lynn Ellis and wife Brenda of San Angelo. He has two step daughters Cindy Bell of Austin and Carol and husband Craig Martin of Kyle, one sister Doris Jones of Brady, one brother-in-law John Jones of Austin, fourteen grandchildren, twenty great grandchildren and two nephews. He was also preceded in death by a brother-in-law Johnny Jones. Pallbearers will be Cory Hicks, Kyle Fagert, Cody Combest, Jonathan Garza, Glen Barton and Bryce Hudgens. Honorary pallbearers will be Directors of Taylor Electric Co-op and members of the Lake Sweetwater Volunteer Fire Department. Memorials may be made to one's favorite charity. Online condolences may be expressed at www.mccoyfh.com