Debra Jean Ellis

Debbie Ellis was born on April 13, 1956, to Burchell Dale Ellis and Jean Ellis in Phoenix, Arizona. She was truly a bouncing, blue-eyed blonde from the start amongst a family of mostly dark-haired, brown-eyed Ellises. Thankfully, her Grandma Pearl Ellis and Grandma Ione Ritter contributed to Debbie’s striking eyes and hair.

Shortly after her birth, she and her family moved to Odessa, Texas where her parents would spend the next 13 years growing a young family in the midst of lifelong friends who were Texas natives. Deb was always the greeter in the neighborhood, as she would frequently rise early on Saturday mornings, take her favorite “blankie” and visit her neighborhood friends.

Another memorable event was the phone call that her mother received that Debra and one of her friends, only 4-5 years old, were stationed in the front seat of the Ellis vehicle with Deb at the helm and her friend dutifully riding alongside as they were cruising backwards down the Ellis driveway into the “not so busy” street of their neighborhood. Apparently, Deb had figured out how to take the car out of “Park” to begin her journey, just like her Dad when the Ellis family would go on an outing.

Debra’s legacy continued wherever she lived with her family. She never met a stranger and was always happy to start conversation wherever and whenever the opportunity presented itself. As she moved with her parents to Dallas, then South Bend, Indiana, Mission Viejo, California, Augusta, Georgia, Honolulu, Hawaii and finally San Antonio, Texas, she made friends that she would keep for a lifetime. Even in her last days, she would call family and friends from her nursing facility just to visit. She was loved by all of the facility staff, her church pastor most of all, her family.

Deb struggled with mental illness most of her adult life, but thanks to her support from her parents, especially her mother Jean, she was able to receive the care and attention she needed to live a productive life making friends and participating in the lives of others until her passing. Deb was the initial member of The Clubhouse in San Antonio where people of all ages and backgrounds with mental illness could come for support, recreation and education.

She was a graduate of Kimball High School in Dallas, Texas and attended community college for 1 year. She also was a popular staff member and employee of Carl’s Junior Restaurant in California.

Early in her life, she made a commitment after hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ and was a true believer for the remainder of her days. As her brother would visit with her about her faith, it was evident that her relationship with her Savior was genuine and important to her.

At the age of 67, she peacefully went to be with her Lord for eternity. She is survived by her brother David Ellis and sister-in-law Judy Ellis, her Uncle Tom Ellis and Aunt Connie Ellis from Farmer City, IL; cousins Nancy Graham and George Storto from Phoenix, Arizona and Theresa Storto Montano from New Mexico; nieces Laura Kelley and Emily Stephens. She will be placed in the Garden Mausoleum next to her mother, Jean Ellis and her father, Dale Ellis at Westover Memorial Cemetery in Augusta, Georgia on August 30, 2023.

The Ellis family would request that in lieu of flowers, consider a donation to the following organizations that were instrumental in contributing to her life.

Concordia Lutheran Church, San Antonio, Texas

The Clubhouse, San Antonio, Texas

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)