John R. Ellis

John Richard Ellis, 70, died at 1:00 a.m. on Friday, June 26, 2020 in his home in Springfield, Illinois. Born in Watseka, Illinois on August 13, 1949, the son of A. Newell Ellis and Eileen Kellogg (Ellis) Maddox, John lived most of his life in Rankin, Illinois.

John had wonderful memories of his childhood in Rankin, where he was allowed to roam and have adventures with his friends. He liked to follow around his older sister Charlene, to whom he was a close and loving brother. John was kind and genuine from the start, and well-liked by his many friends. Always fond of animals, John refused, until adolescence, to eat anything that had once walked on two or four legs. He stood out from the boys in t-shirts and jeans on the playground by his canary yellow or lime green outfit complete with a feather in his hat. His exceptional style he inherited from his mother, as well as an extensive vocabulary. John spent hours on the floor of his bedroom as a child taking apart clocks and whatever he could get his hands on to see how they worked. This curiosity continued into adulthood, exhibited by his interest in reading biographies of American presidents and pondering the persons and forces behind our country’s history. John never jumped on a bandwagon; he always formed his views after much research and thought. He, like his father, could be trusted to give a reasoned judgment on anything.

In 1967, John graduated from Rankin Township High School, where he participated in Rankin Ranger basketball and theatre, and, in 1972, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. There, he was a member of TKE Fraternity, through which he acquired lifelong friendships and fandom of the Fighting Illini and was known for his discovery of new music, impeccable style, and sweet spirit.

It was while working on the Eastern Shore of Maryland for Maddox Construction that John met Vickie Perry, a nurse. After their marriage in St. Michaels, Maryland in 1975, the couple moved to Rankin, and John began working with his mother at Ellis Insurance Agency, which she had taken over after his father’s death. After his mother retired, John owned and operated the agency until his retirement in 2017. John was a beloved member of the community. He was a Charter Member of the Rankin Lion’s Club, Butler Township Clerk, and treasurer of the Wheeler Foundation Board.

John’s greatest love was for his family – his wife Vickie, daughters Kelly and Shannon, and his three grandsons, Caden, Cole, and Kieran. In their nearly 45 years of marriage, John and Vickie were constant companions. They shared an appreciation of nature. John fed the birds and squirrels in their backyard, and they took pleasure in watching them together. He prided himself on his lawn care, and they spent many nights tending to their flowerbeds. John and Vickie enjoyed hiking and taking in the beauty of gardens. In recent years, retirement allowed them to fulfill their dreams of travel, which included a trip of a lifetime through the Mediterranean. As a loving dad, John doted on his daughters, ensuring they had all they needed, and proudly watched them participate in marching band, theatre, and show choir. The family’s favorite pastime was playing board games, and their vacation to Maryland in John’s station wagon, with dog Daisy in tow, was a highlight of every summer. Once his girls were grown, John enjoyed trips to Chicago to visit Shannon and her husband Josh, where they would attend the Old Town Art Fair, walk the Lincoln Park Nature Boardwalk, and visit the Art Institute of Chicago. He loved spending weekends in Springfield with Kelly, her husband Curt, and his grandsons, so much so that, in 2018, he and Vickie relocated there. Being a papa to his grandsons was one of the greatest joys of John’s life. He delighted in actively participating in their lives, whether he was their lap to lie on, playmate, or fan on the sidelines. Together, they enjoyed going to St. Louis Cardinals games, Walt Disney World, and on a trip to Ireland. John received much satisfaction from bonding with his sons-in-law with whom he could share a love of NCAA basketball.

John was known for his kind heart, fondness for nature, dependability, and being a devoted son, brother, husband, dad, and papa. John’s was a life well-lived and filled with love. He will be greatly missed.

John is survived by his wife Vickie; two daughters, Kelly (husband, Curt) Settlemoir of Springfield and Shannon (husband, Joshua Magariel) of Chicago; three grandsons, Caden, Cole, and Kieran Settlemoir, all of Springfield; and his sister Charlene (husband, Fred Taylor) of Brattleboro, Vermont.

Cremation was provided by Butler Cremation Tribute Center prior to ceremonies.

Graveside Ceremony: 10:00 a.m. on July 6, 2020 at Chatham Memorial Cemetery with Celebrant Judy Woerner officiating. Memorial service to be held in Rankin, IL at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Illinois Audubon Society, P.O. Box 2547, Springfield, IL 62708 or Titan Fuel, a non-profit that provides food for Ball-Chatham School District students in need, P.O. Box 296, Chatham, IL 62629.

The family is being served by Butler Funeral Home-Chatham, 8855 State Rt. 4, Chatham.