Clarence Franklin Ellis

After the death of their mother, the family left the dust bowls of SD for the Pacific N.W. They settled in the Green Mountain area where his older brother Art and life-long best friend Abe Williams were drafted along with Clarence.

After the war, he began a career as a logger. Clarence was a hard worker who worked beyond his 90th birthday. Retirement was a loathsome word for Clarence. His granddaughter Leesa tells a wonderful story about Grandpa receiving work gloves for his 90th birthday.

On September 17, 1949, he met and married his wife of 62 years, Barbara Dewey, in Vancouver, WA. They began their married life together on a houseboat where their first son William (Bill) was born. After many close calls and scares, Barbara convinced Clarence it was time to find them a more safe and sensible home. After a brief time in Salmon Creek, they spent the next 40 years and had three more children on Lower Rivers Rd.

Clarence was Log Patrol on Colombia River by trade, as well as a logger, wood cutter and metal scrapper, before it was profitable or in vogue. Forever etched in our minds is the small magnet pad he used to carry in his pocket, testing the worth of any metal he came across. He could accurately quote any metal price right up to the end of his life.

Anyone who has memories of Clarence, would remember him wearing his silver hardhat, cruising the river looking for logs or towing a log in the work boat back to his log pond, or taking a short break at the kitchen table playing solitaire, all the while keeping a watchful eye for logs floating down river.

In 1994, they moved to their daughter, Betty’s farm in Brush Prairie.

After Barbara’s death in 2011, Clarence came to live with his son, Dean, and daughter in law, Denna, being pampered and spoiled while he sat by the fireplace and talked of days past. When his illness required more care, he spent two months at Vintage Years Adult Home until his death.

Preceding Clarence in death were his brothers, Art, Leroy, Paul and Lucky.

He is survived by his sister, Marge Reed of CA; sons, Bill, LeRoy (Keri), Dean (Denna) all of Vancouver, WA; his daughter, Betty (Randy) Goggin of Brush Prairie, WA.; grandchildren, Corrine, Patrick, Leesa, Kate, Amy; great grandchildren, Briana, Alyssa, Killian and Jade as well as numerous nieces and nephew.

A memorial service will be held at Vancouver Funeral Chapel, 10 E. 15th St, Vancouver, WA, Wednesday, July 25, 2011 at 1:00pm with a reception to follow.

Arrangements under the care of Vancouver Funeral Chapel.