Robert Lee Ellis

Dr. Robert “Bob” Lee Ellis, retired Houston dentist, was born on the 6th of September 1928 in Downers Grove, Illinois. He went to his heavenly home on Thursday, the 16th of November 2023. He was 95 years of age.

Bob was a dearly loved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. Dr. Ellis is survived by his daughter Cindy Murrey and husband Mike; son-in-law Mark Skinner and wife Valerie; grandchildren, Kelly Jackson, Joshua Skinner, Melissa Sandoval and husband Matt, Jake Skinner; and great-grandchildren, Brooke Sandoval and Landon Sandoval as well as special next door neighbors Beverly and Randy Schorre.

Bob is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Leanna Ellis; daughter, Pam Skinner; mother, Emily Ellis; father, Harold Ellis; and sister, Barbara Robinson.

Bob graduated from the University of Texas in Austin with a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy. After graduation while working as a pharmacist in Fort Worth, Texas, he met the love of his life, Leanna Kent, in their Sunday school class and they were soon married. He was drafted into the United States Army during the Korean War and they were based in Atlanta, Georgia. Bob was discharged and they moved to Houston where he attended The University of Texas Dental School. Their daughters Pam and Cindy were born while he was in dental school. Bob became a full-time Texan when he opened his private dental practice in Houston after graduation.

Bob was a loving husband, dad, and grandad and together he and Leanna were always active and in attendance at their daughters’ activities as well as their grandchildren’s actives. The Ellis family were charter members of St. Philips United Methodist Church, and he was very involved on committees at the church.

Bob was a very active member of the Bellaire/Southwest Rotary Club. He prided himself on perfect attendance and if traveling he attended a club at that location. Bob was a natural born leader. He held many officer positions as his Rotary resume is three pages long but was most proud of being the Rotary District 5890 Governor. Bob attended, taught and spoke at many Rotary meetings, seminars, and schools in Houston and across the world. He attended Rotary Club meetings and activities as long as he was physically able and during Covid he attended via zoom.

Bob’s favorite hobby was model railroading. In their home in Houston, he transformed a portion of the attic to his layout room and named his railroad GRITS for Great Railroad in The Sky. He built a small layout in one of the closets at the retirement village (University Place) where he later resided after their Meyerland home flooded. He named the layout building models after his family and friends. He was active in the San Jacinto Model Railroad Association locally as well as held the position of Executive Vice President of the National Model Railroad Association.

Bob and Leanna enjoyed spending time at their lake house on Lake Livingston. Many family and friends were entertained there. He built a model of his idea for the lake house and presented it to an architect to draw up the plans. He later included a small HO scale model of the lake house on his train layout.

Bob and Leanna enjoyed traveling the world. The Ellis family took many road trips across the United States. After the girls were grown their worldly travels began. Their favorite vacation spot was Maui, Hawaii.

Bob was a great writer, speaker and creative poet. He wrote many special poems to his family and friends.

The Ellis family enjoyed their social life in Houston. They entertained frequently in their home from formal to casual gatherings and he was always a great ping pong partner and opponent to Cindy whether they were playing against each other or as partners against guests. The Ellis family were avid Astros baseball fans and had season tickets from the time the Astrodome opened until the last game was held there. They were also season ticket holder to the Houston Aeros games, Theater Under the Stars, the Barbershop Quartet, and the Alley Theater. Bob was a member of The Doctor’s Club of Houston and the family enjoyed many occasions of fine dining there. Every Friday night for many years Bob, Leanna, Pam and Cindy went to Sears downtown and then to dessert at many specialty dessert restaurants in Houston.

Bob was a member of the Bellaire Masonic Lodge and was a Scottish Rite 32nd Degree Mason.

Bob enjoyed music, as a younger man he was a drummer in a band and he played the harmonica but only for his family. He also was the song leader at the Bellaire Rotary Club.

An interment is to be conducted at two o’clock in the afternoon on Tuesday, the 28th of November at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery, 12800 Westheimer Road in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions be directed to the ALS Association at donate.als.org in memory of Robert Ellis/Pamela Skinner, 1300 Wilson Blvd Suite 600 Arlington, VA 22209; or to the Bellaire Southwest Houston Rotary Foundation, 6300 West Loop S Suite 220. Bellaire, TX 77401 in memory of Robert Ellis; or to the charity of your choice.

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