Goodbye, Dad. We will miss you so much!
Rev. Fred Ellis
4/12/1926 - 4/23/2008
Reverend Fred V. Ellis, 82, of Hickory, went to be with his Lord on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at the Lutheran Home-Hickory West.
Born on April 12, 1926 in Mitchell County, NC, he was the son of the late Joseph Mack Ellis and Naomi Randolph Ellis. He graduated from Mars-Hill College, Carson-Newman College and the Southeastern Theological Seminary. He was a bombsight mechanic in the United States Army and retired from the textile industry.
Reverend Ellis served as a pastor at Drowning Creek Baptist Church in Hildebran, NC, First Baptist Church in Tungston, NC, Oxford Memorial Baptist Church in Taylorsville, NC, and Ranlo Mission Baptist Church in the Smyre Community in Gaston County, NC.
Mr. and Mrs. Ellis were appointed as Home Missionaries of the Southern Baptist Convention. Reverend Ellis also served as a pastor at El Rito Baptist Church in El Rito, NM, Hatch Baptist Missions in Hatch, NM and Betania Baptist Church in Raton, NM. He served as a prison counselor for the United Christian Prison Ministries in Charlotte, NC. He served as an associate pastor at New Life Assembly of God Church in Conover, where he was one of the first founding members.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sisters, Helen Ellis Howell, Orpha Ellis Wagner, Azoline Ellis Chapman; his brothers, Roy Ellis, Virgil Ellis, William Ellis, Howard Ellis and Arnold Ellis; and grandson, Bradley Ellis.
He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Winkler Ellis; daughters, Ruth Lail and her husband, Hal of Conover and Becky Metcalf and her husband, Craig of Newton; son, Joseph Ellis of Valdese; sister, Eva Ellis Phillips of Canton; six grandchildren, Jennifer Lail and husband, Aaron Kane-Eames, David Lail, Wayne Metcalf, Brandon Ellis, Kim Ellis and Joe Metcalf; one great-granddaughter, Ashton Metcalf; and many nieces and nephews.
A Service of Remembrance will be held 3:00 p.m., Saturday, April 26, 2008 in the Chapel of Drum Funeral Home in Conover with Pastor Brian K. Smith and Pastor Dean Miller officiating. Interment will follow in Catawba Memorial Park in Hickory.
The family will receive friends Friday evening, April 25, 2008 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Drum Funeral Home in Conover.
Pallbearers honoring Reverend Ellis are David Lail, Wayne Metcalf, Brandon Ellis, Joe Metcalf, Allen Winkler and Brian Winkler.
Memorials may be made to New Life Assembly of God Church, 3501 Section House Rd., Hickory, NC 28601.
The following essay was written several years ago by my sister Ruth. She read it at Dad's funeral service:
For Father's Day, 1992, my pastor gave our church the opportunity to write about our fathers and have it read aloud on Sunday. This is what I wrote. We decided to read it today at this celebration of his life, because it gives a glimpse of the kind of father our dad was and a glimpse of the kind of home life that our parents raised us in.
My Dad
Let me introduce you to my dad, Fred Ellis. He has a delightful sense of humor, loves to tell jokes and pick on us, and has unending patience. He enjoys sports, reading, and working crossword puzzles. He baptized me, was my pastor for nearly twenty years, and still counsels, advises, and prays for me. As a young girl it amazed me that he always knew a Bible story that matched what I was doing wrong. And sometimes I was a 'surprise' sermon illustration!
He is the best dad a girl could have. He taught me the things that a child thinks are important—how to ride a bike, how to play ball, and how to drive a standard transmission car. But most of all he taught me to put God first in my life. He taught this not only from the pulpit, but also at home. My dad lives a Christ-like lifestyle. His prayers are filled with beautiful words of praise for the Lord and his life is lived with the attitudes of praise, respect, reverence, and thankfulness that are rightfully due to God.
I learned from my father to be honest, trustworthy, caring , humble and responsible. He challenges me to strive to do my best. He believes in me and encourages me to use my abilities and talents for the Lord.
My parents always included our family and our home in their ministry. An example of this took place one cold winter afternoon. As my sister and I came in from school, Dad met us with a request. He told us of a needy family that had no heat. He said “Girls, you have a heater in the bathroom that you use when you bathe and dress. Would you be willing to give it to them?” Of course we would! How wonderful to have something we could give in the Lord's name to others. Dad could have made the decision without us. After all — he bought the heater. But this is an example of the way he raised us. We were a part of his ministry team – not just on the sideline.
I love you, Dad.
By Ruth Lail
The following poem was written the night before our dad's funeral by my sister Becky. She read it at Dad's funeral:
My heartfelt sympathies and well wishes to you. I'm sorry for your loss.
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