LTC Richard Graham Ellas, U.S. Army (Ret.)

LTC Richard Graham Ellas, U.S. Army (Ret.), age 101, of Canyon Lake, Texas, passed away on April 3, 2025. He was a beloved husband, father, and friend, remembered for his exceptional service to his country, his unwavering dedication to his family, and his quiet strength of character.

Born on September 11, 1923 in El Dorado, Arkansas, Richard was a man who devoted his life to service and his country. After graduating from high school, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Indiana Technical College in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His education laid the foundation for his exceptional career, both in the military and in the civilian world.

During WWII, Richard served as a U.S. Army Combat Engineer in the European Theater. With Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) on May 8, 1945, his unit was scheduled to deploy to the Pacific Theater. Instead, they were transferred to Nuremberg, Germany, to run the photostatic (reproduction) equipment for the Nuremburg Trials.

After WWII, Richard remained in the U.S.Army Reserves, and he returned to work for Wagner Electric Company in Pennsylvania. In 1950, he was drafted for the Korean War. After serving his time in Korea, Richard remained on active duty as an Officer in the Engineer Corps.

With the emergence of the Cold War and the development of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), the need to map continents and create associated grid coordinates became paramount. Richard’s niche for the rest of his military career was all about surveying countries, hence his overseas tours in Haiti (3 years), Wheelus Air Force Base, Tripoli, Libya (one Year), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (two years) and Korea again (1 year). His only exception was this three years at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, where he built the silos for Titan I ICBMs.

Richard retired from the military at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, in 1968 and went to work first for Central Distributing company and later Marvin Windows and Doors. Upon is final retirement, Richard and his wife, Barbara, volunteered at the Outpatient Information Desk at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) and he also served as the senior guide for tours of the hospital.

In the 2000s, Richard began creating jewelry for his wife. Once they moved to Canyon Lake in 2007, he decided to expand his jewelry making and enjoyed giving items to the employees at the local businesses, the New Life Children’s Center, his daughters and their friends, and many who attended Saint Francis by the Lake Episcopal Church. Richard’s easy smile and genuine love for people will live on in all who knew him. He may be gone, but his jewelry owned by so many in Canyon Lake is a testament to his innate kindness, generosity of spirit, and love of God.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara Ellas, who passed away in 2009, and his daughter, Micheline M. Ellas, who passed away in 2020. He is survived by his loving daughter, Jean Marie Slupik and her husband, Robert W. Slupik.

A Celebration of Richard’s life will be held on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 2:00 PM, at St. Francis by the Lake Episcopal Church, located at 121 Spring Mountain Dr, Canyon Lake, TX 78133.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Hope Hospice, New Braunfels, and the New Life Children’s Center, Canyon Lake, in Richard’s memory.