Stanley E. Ellis

Stanley Eugene Ellis, 83, entered his heavenly home on January 21, 2021, after a valiant battle with cancer. His love for and devotion to his family, and his firm belief in God, supported him in his struggle and gave him comfort. He passed peacefully, surrounded by family, in his home in Clermont, Indiana.

Stanley was born on July 10, 1937, in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Paul and Delores (Wells) Ellis. He was blessed with loving family throughout his life. He married his wife, Jolene Ann (Ochsner) Ellis, on August 14, 1960, in Goodland, Kansas. As he exemplified Christian fatherly love, he helped raise their two children, Curtis Eugene Ellis and Anne Elizabeth (Ellis) Thompson.

Stan is survived by his loving children, Curt (Jolene) Ellis, Michigan, Anne (Gary) Thompson, Indiana; grandchildren, Jacob (Susanna) Ellis, Michigan, Elizabeth (Jacob) Cross,  Michigan, Sarah (Lucas) Fritch, Iowa, Samuel Ellis, Iowa, Rachel Thompson, Indiana, Leah Thompson, Indiana; brothers, John (Shirley) Ellis, Indiana, Charles (Joanne) Ellis, Indiana, as well as many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his wife Jolene Ann (Ochsner) Ellis, Indiana, and his parents, Paul N. and Delores (Wells) Ellis, Indiana, and step-mother Naomi (Diddle) Ellis, Indiana.

From a very early age, he dedicated his life to God and service, with the goal of helping others, leading them to become life-long learners, and showing them his love for Jesus Christ. He was a charter member of the John Wesley Free Methodist Church and volunteered for years by serving on various committees, teaching Sunday School, and singing in the church choir.

He loved the teaching of political science, social studies, and geography and every part of his life was a teaching moment. He graduated from George Washington High School in 1955, from Greenville College (Greenville, Illinois) with a Bachelor’s degree in 1959, and later from Indiana University (Bloomington, Indiana) with a Master’s degree. In 2016, he received the Distinguished Alumnus Award at his alma mater, Greenville College.

Throughout his life, Stan was an accomplished athlete, teacher, coach, and also served on the Wayne Township School Board. He played professional hockey for the Toronto Maple Leafs youth league. He played soccer in Canada and with his brother, influenced Greenville College to field a soccer team. He was an avid runner, tennis player, and golfer. His greatest joy was to coach various teams in cross country, tennis, track and field, basketball, and golf at Fulton Junior High School, Ben Davis Junior High School, and Ben Davis High School. He began his teaching career in Lake Orion, Michigan at Oxford Public Schools. He then moved back to the West side of Indianapolis to teach junior high school in Wayne Township Schools for his entire career of 38 years. He retired from teaching in 1997 and was elected to the Wayne Township School Board in 1998 where he served for 16 years.

He was dearly loved by all of his family and friends. Since his death, his students over generations have provided compliments of how he loved teaching, but especially of how he loved and cared for each of them personally. He will be greatly missed, but we take great comfort in knowing that he is now rejoicing in Heaven with his wife of 60 years, with Jesus, and with departed family and friends that have gone before him.

Visitation is scheduled from 6:00pm – 9:00pm on Friday, January 29, 2021, at John Wesley Free Methodist Church (5900 W 46th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46254). A celebration of life is scheduled for 11:00am on Saturday, January 30, 2021, at John Wesley Free Methodist Church, with a second visitation starting before the celebration at 10:00am. Social distancing precautions will be maintained at the service with live-streaming as an option at: https://www.facebook.com/JohnWesleyFMC

Any memorial contributions can be made to Wayne Township Education Foundation (https://bit.ly/3jEfgjd), Wheeler Mission (https://bit.ly/31OXnIz), or International Child Care Ministries (https://bit.ly/2QK2ELc). Flowers can be sent to the church (5900 W 46th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46254) prior to the celebration service.