Clifford "Buddy" Vernon Ellis Jr.

Clifford “Buddy” Vernon Ellis Jr., age 77, of Hampton died peacefully in his sleep early Saturday morning, May 28th, 2022, after a long year of many hospitalizations and rehab stays and finally losing his left leg due to diabetes in February 2022. Buddy was born July 17, 1944.

He tried to remain pleasant and light hearted with his care givers while at the hospital and at home. His family is comforted that he is with Jesus and his father, Clifford Vernon Ellis Sr., (Bill) and mother, Eileen Dodd Ellis, and that he now has a new heavenly body with no pain.

Surviving him are his sister, Rosemary Ellis Hank (Tom) of Yorktown, Virginia, two nieces; Kelly Hank Denny (Scott) of Newport News, Virginia and Kathryn Hank Randall (Randy) of Orange Park, Florida, four grand-nieces; Rachel Hank Flad (Kevin Ruiz), Victoria Denny (Austin Jones), Kathryn Taylor Denny and Natalie Denny, his longtime friend and caregiver, John Barley, his almost two month old great grandnephew, Mason Ruiz, his beloved little dog Winnie, and two cousins; Ed Strawsnyder (Nancy) and Bill Strawsnyder (Maggie).

Buddy was so proud to have been a Marine and wore his hat with many pins on it everywhere he went, in the hospital bed and sometimes at home. He gradually stepped down from using a walker to a wheelchair. Johnny and Rosemary were his two main transporters. The last few months’ he was unable to ride in cars, and he missed going to appointments to the VA Hospital where he would greet other Marines, military patients and caregivers with a big smile and a joke or “Semper Fi.”.

He also loved going to his bank where they “treated me very special”. While he could he loved trips to the grocery store and to BJ’s with his little fluffy white dog, Winnie, on his lap. He truly missed going to Sunday church services at Bethany United Methodist Church where he was a member from childhood and had a special seat on the back row where many members would greet him.

The family wishes to thank Bethany Church members for your love and attention to Buddy over the years with the wonderful cards, calls to cheer him up, visits, and meals that were brought to him. Elaine Brimer has been a friend as well as a Pastor to Buddy for many years, and he loved her dearly. She visited him the Thursday before he passed and brought him ice cream which Buddy enjoyed every bite of. Elaine we thank you deeply for loving Buddy. We also would like to thank all of his caregivers at the VA in Hampton, JenCare in Hampton and Newport News, Newport News Rehab and Nursing, Amedisys Home Health and Care Advantage as well as Riverside Regional Medical Center, including all the doctors, nurses and aides, etc.

Semper Fi!, proud Marine, Semper Fi!

A graveside service for Buddy will be held Saturday, July 16, 2022 at 10:00 AM at Parklawn Memorial Park, 2551 N Armistead Ave, VA 23666.