Ellen J. Winfrey

Ellen Jessie Magee was born on July 12, 1929, in Burlington, CO. She was preceded in death, by her parents, her husband, Floyd, her oldest sister, Natalie Foster, and her Granddaughter Angela Leigh Winfrey.

Her parents were, Vera Ione Harbison Magee and C.L. (Jack) Magee. She grew up there with 3 other sisters, 2 older and 1 younger.

She took tap dance, starting as a young girl, all the way through High School. She also played the piano quite well. She helped clean and do other chores around her favorite Aunts house , and in return, her Aunt paid for my mother’s piano lessons for years.

She was also involved in Rainbow Girls, played the snare drum in the HS Band and was a cheerleader. She grew up in the Methodist Church in town and played the piano for them when she was a young woman.

She met her husband, Floyd Duane Winfrey , at school and married in November, after they had graduated from High School. They moved into his parent’s farm house and worked it for several years. They had a son , Michael Warren, and a daughter, Ruth Ellen, while on the farm in 1948 and 1950.

Shortly after that, they moved to Wray, and Denver, CO. They moved on from there to Des Moines, IA, in 1954. He worked in the tire business with 2 of his brothers, Irvin and Ray. From there, the family moved to Yates Center, KS, and finally came to Independence, MO, in 1957. They settled there the rest of their lives.

For the next 60 years, Ellen worked alongside Floyd in their own Tire and Automotive Parts business. She did all the book keeping and helped fill in as a sales clerk quite often. Mike started working with them fairly young. After he was finished with the Navy Reserves he continued on with them. After Floyd passed away in February of 1978, Mike became an equal owner with Mother until it closed.

Ellen joined Immanuel Baptist Church in 1957, and took her children regularly with her. Over the years she taught Sunday school, worked in Vacation Bible School, taught Children’s Choir, and served as Treasurer. She also took her gran daughters, Amy and Angela Winfrey as often as possible.

She went to work for Ben Franklin in Englewood, after the business closed. She clerked and worked in the office some before she retired at 70.

She enjoyed traveling over the years and got to go overseas on a number of trips with her husband and once with a sister-in-law. Our family always went to CO, every year to visit both sides of the family. She has always been able to visit Ruth, Fred, Jorja and Carey every year until she was no longer able to fly.

Ruth was able to drive her to Colorado, 3 years ago ,to visit her sisters , Barbara Hasart and for the last time.

She enjoyed playing the piano, gardening, and her many house plants. She also enjoyed embroidery, quilting, sewing clothes and working jigsaw puzzles.

She passed very peacefully, with both her children present

The family requests in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to her church, Immanuel Baptist , 112 W. 23rd St. in Independence 64055 or to Caris Hospice.at 3980 S Jackson Dr. Independence 64057.