Ellie Addis took her last ‘at bat’ on Friday, 28 June 2019 after a courageous battle against cancer. At 86, she was as active and confident as she was playing any of the many sports she excelled at over her lifetime.
Originally from Galesburg, Illinois, the youngest of 5 children to Cecil and Shelley Addis, Ellie was best known as an athlete and dedicated friend. After high school, Ellie played semi-professional softball and continued her love for the game her entire life. As a San Antonio resident for more than 45 years, she was an avid Houston Astros and San Antonio Spurs fan. Her home was a frequent gathering place for friends on the night of a game involving either team.
Ellie was also an accomplished bowler and continued to bowl weekly until her last month with us. In a mixed tournament in the 1970s, Ellie was the lone woman bowler to make it to the finals with all the male bowlers. In tribute, each of the men signed their names to a bowling pin in her honor. She loved her friends at the area bowling lanes, but particularly Astro Bowl in the last few years.
Ellie proudly and effectively served her nation in the United States Air Force from October 1954 to October 1974 as a Woman in the Air Force (WAF). Other than her family, she was most proud of her service in uniform and remained a very active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and The Women in the Air Force Association. She travelled to almost every WAF reunion annually and had already made plans to attend this year’s reunion in October.
Ellie loved her family and spoke warmly of them to every visitor to her home. She is preceded in death by her siblings, Laura Hanson, Eileen Anderson, Laverne (Bud) Addis, and William Addis. She is survived by her nephews; Larry Hanson, Donald D. Hanson, Eldon Anderson, John Addis, Dan Addis, Clint Addis, Tim Addis, and Mike Addis. Ellie’s nieces include; Deb Fox, Linda Sornberger, Nancy Fennig, Julie Smith, Jennifer Briggs and Lisa Shafer. Ellie had a wonderful group of friends; fellow WAFs, bowlers, and SPURS and ASTROS fans. The pictures of her family and friends covered almost every surface in her home.
Ellie was the kind of friend we all hope to be; always interested in your life and always willing to assist. She laughed freely and enjoyed the simple pleasures of a job well-done, a catfish dinner with her friends, a turkey in a bowling game, and watching the ASTROS sweep a baseball series with a competitor. She will be missed.
