Kaleel Ellison

Rev. Dr. Kaleel Ellison, age 83 of St. Johns, FL, passed away peacefully in his home on September 23, 2016. Rev. Ellison was born in Jacksonville, FL on March 25, 1933 and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville. He graduated from Andrew Jackson High School, served in the United States Navy during the Korean War, graduated from Tennessee Temple University with a double major in Bible and English, attended Dallas Theological Seminary, received honorary Doctorate of Theology from Salt Lake Baptist College; pastored Corinth Baptist Church (Jacksonville), served as Executive Directors of the City Rescue Mission (Jacksonville) and Reno-Sparks Gospel Mission (Nevada); International Union of Gospel Missions (I.U.G.M., now Association of Gospel Rescue Missions – A.G.R.M.) Southeastern District Treasurer, Secretary, V.P., President and I.U.G.M.’s V.P. and two-term President; served in leadership position of the Jacksonville Kiwanis Downtown Breakfast Club, Lt. Gov. of Kiwanis Division 4, honorary lifetime membership of Kiwanis International. He was a faithful servant of God and long-time minister to the least, the last, and the lost in our society, a devoted husband of 59 years, a providing father, a loving (great) grandfather, a supportive brother, a caring uncle, a compassionate minister of the gospel, an honorable veteran. He was pre-deceased in death by his sister, Larue Ingle Sykes. Survivors include sisters, Meriam Denmark, Lanida Bryant; wife, Jacqueline “Jackie” Jarrell Ellison; children, Daniel “Dan” Ellison (Renee), Denise Wright, Jonathan “Jon” Ellison (Susan), David “Chris” Ellison (Christi), Shannon Richardson (John); 21 grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren. Visitation will be held from 5:00pm to 7:00pm on Wednesday, September 28, 2016 in Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home of Mandarin. The Funeral Service will be held at 11:30am on Thursday, September 29, 2016 in First Baptist Church of Jacksonville’s Hobson Auditorium on the corner of Church St. and Hogan St., followed by interment at 2:30pm in Jacksonville National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to one or more of the following: Media Ministry of the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, 124 W. Ashley Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202; City Rescue Mission, 426 McDuff Ave. S., Jacksonville, FL 32254; Community Hospice of Northeast Florida, 4266 Sunbeam Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home of Mandarin, 11801 San Jose Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32223. www.hgmandarin.com (904) 288-0025.