George Ellis Obituary

April 19, 1917 – November 29, 2007

LOVELL, Wyo. - Our beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather and uncle passed away Nov. 29, 2007, at the New Horizon's Care Center in Lovell, Wyo. George was born April 19, 1917, in Hobart, Okla. to Jacob and Lillie McBride Ellis. He was the oldest of eight children. When he was 13 years old, the family moved to Tishomingo, Okla. where he completed his junior year.
He joined the Civilian Conservation Corps in August 1935, coming by train with 175 other young men to Deaver, Wyo. There he met his future wife Velta Berryman. While in the CCC's he shoveled ditches, and cut willows around the Deaver area. After a short time, he went to the kitchen where he offered to keep the fires going if the guys would pay him $.05 a day. His job was to start the fires in two kitchen stoves and two heaters in the mess hall.
George moved to Kane in 1937 and went to work for Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. He worked for 20 years for the railroad; he also helped build the bridge over the Big Horn River. He went to work for Great Western Sugar in 1943 and worked every campaign until 1979, only missing two. George farmed and worked for the railroad and at the sugar factory until 1979 when he retired to become a full time farmer, finally retiring in 2003.
He waited five years for his sweetheart to get her education in Denver and then teach for one year in Lovell. They were married 67 years on the 18th of May of this year. They ran a small store and Sinclair Service Station until Velta became postmistress in Kane.
George leaves behind his children Karen (Wayne) Spragg, Larry Ellis and Elaine Good (Ron Hermes) all of Lovell; grandchildren Sam Spragg, Shannon (Christy) Ellis, Spencer (Annette) Ellis, Scoti Kober, Lisa (Dean) Wilkerson, all of Lovell, Shana (Ken) Bartle and Chris (Miria) Good, both of Powell; great-grandchildren J.C Bartle, Shallan Schultz, Casey and Melissa Ellis, Jacob and Chelsey Ellis, Ann and Cindy Spragg, Taylor Jolley, Jordyn Kober, Ashley, Alexandra, Brooklyn, Ryan and Megan Good and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held Monday, Dec. 3, at 2 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Lovell. Burial will be in the Lovell Cemetery. Haskell Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

This obituary was originally published in the Billings Gazette.