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Luther Cleon Ellis (b. 12 Feb 1906, d. 29 Jul 1999)

Luther Cleon Ellis (son of William Henry Ellis)^{1, 2} was born 12 Feb 1906 in Eldon, Wapello Co., IA, and died 29 Jul 1999 in Dallas, Dallas Co., TX.

Notes for Luther Cleon Ellis:
At a young age dad was able to excel in school learning and was able to do long division in his head, he also had excellent penmanship and won numerous awards in penmanship. Before attending high school he took an exam that allowed him to attend any High school in the state of Iowa. This was quite remarkable since they only went to school about four months out of the year, the rest of the time he worked on his step father Gilbert McCoy's farm or in a coal mine or on the Burlington Northern Railroad as a section crew worker. He and his half brother Gilbert McCoy built a chain driven truck to haul coal down from the mine. They wrecked it the first time they drove it down the hill from the mine.

Dad graduated from High School ca 1924-26, he attended the High Schools in Exline and Centerville, IA.. Dad was a fast learner . He attended Drake University for one year after High school, then he married Pearl Shankster in 1927. He meet Pearl while she worked as a book keeper for her grandfather Crawford at the Crawford Sawmill in Centerville. At an early age dad joined the Methodist Church and stayed a Methodist until about 1955 when he converted to the Church of Christ, in Irving, TX. Mom used to play the piano and dad would lead singing in the Methodist Church.

Beverly was born 1930 in Centerville, IA, dad was working as a mechanic/bus driver during this time.
Luther Richard was born in 1940 at Wichita, KS, dad was working at the Boeing Aircraft Plant as a mechanic on the B-29 engines, this didn't last and he went to work driving a bus for Santa Fe Trailways. In 1942 we moved to Freeport, TX where dad went to work driving a bus for Bowen Motor Coaches.

We moved to Houston, TX in 1943-44, where dad continued to drive a bus for Bowen Motor Coaches, he also worked as as mechanic when he was not driving. Gary Lee was born in Houston, TX, during this time. Continental Trailways bought the Bowen Motor Coach Line in late 1944 or early 1945 and we moved to Irving, TX so dad could work at the bus shop in Fort Worth, TX. Dad was promoted to Shop Foreman in 1946-47.

Mom (Pearl) died in 1947 and dad married Ann Corder in the fall of 1947. Grandmother Ellis had come down to help take care of us boys while Mom was in the hospital. After Dad married Ann, Grandmother went to live with dad's sister Marguerite in Peoria, IL.

In 1948 we moved to New York City, NY, Unionville, & Wehaukin, NJ so dad could work for Carey Transportation as Superintendent of Maintenance, this lasted until 1950.

In 1951 we moved back to Texas, again in Irving, so dad could again work for Continental Trailways as Shop Foreman at the new shop in Dallas, TX.

Dad stayed with Continental until about 1955 when he left to go to work for Southwest Wheel & Brake as chief engineer. This lasted about a year then he became chief engineer/ manager of Prior Southwest which was a brake/power booster rebuilder, this lasted until 1957-58.
In 1958 dad became a partner in Astro Machine Products, which was a machine shop that prepared parts for the Nike Missile Launcher and also rebuilt brake power boosters.

In late 1959 or early 1960 dad sold his partnership in Astro Machine and went to work for Unit Auto Parts, in OKC, as chief engineer. Dad and Mom (Ann) built a trilevel house in Moore, OK. They had been living in an apartment until dad felt the job with Unit Auto Parts was going to be secure enough for them to settle in.

In about 1968 dad became sales manager of Unit Auto Parts after his boss Bob Bolton died from a spider bite. Dad was ready to retire in 1971 but the Bolton sisters talked him into staying on until dad was able to sell Unit Auto Parts to Borg Warner. Dad finally retired in 1973 in Malakoff, TX, where he bought 12 acres from Ramond Brownlow, Ann's Sister, Matte's husband.

About this time dad became active in politics and the Church of Christ in Malakoff. He was appointed an Elder in the church and ran for the City Council, served one term on the City Council and was elected County Judge for one term. Dad remained an elder until about 1980 when he sold the house in Malakoff and moved to Duncanville, TX.

In 1984 Ann had a stroke and was paralized on her left side and lost her ability to speak. In May 1986 Ann died from a heart attack. In July 1986 dad married Zerna Caldwell, she had taken care of Ann after she had her stroke and Zerna's husband had died, Dad and Zerna lived in Balch Springs in Zerna's house which dad rebuilt. They lived in this house until dad died in July 1999. Zerna continues to live in the house to this date. They attended Duncanville Church of Christ.

More About Luther Cleon Ellis:
Burial: 02 Aug 1999, Laurel Land Memorial Park, Dallas, Dallas Co., TX.

More About Luther Cleon Ellis and <Unnamed>:
Marriage: 15 Jun 1927, Moulton, Appanoose Co., IA.

Children of Luther Cleon Ellis are:

+Luther Richard Ellis, b. 28 Apr 1940, Wichita, Sedgwick Co., KS.
+Gary Lee Ellis, b. 11 May 1944, Houston, Harris Co., TX.