Tom Ellis was born April 25, 1932, to the late Helen Miller Ellis and Guy Ellis in Loudonville, Ohio. He attended Loudonville High School where he played football, basketball, and baseball. He was very proud of having played on the Redbirds’ first undefeated football team in 1949. Tom graduated high school in May of 1950.
He joined the Navy in August 1950, where he served until 1954. He was stationed in Kodiak, Alaska, and then served as a Personnel Man on the destroyer USS Colahan (DD-658) in the Pacific. He was proud to be a sailor.
After being discharged in 1954, he enrolled in Ashland College, where he not only attended classes, but also played on and helped coach the freshman football team. He graduated in August of 1958 with a degree in education. The summer after his first semester, he lifeguarded at Pleasant Hill Lake, where in 1955, he met the love of his life, Marlene Daubert. They were married on August 25, 1956, in St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Loudonville. Together, they have celebrated 69 anniversaries. They had six children: Thomas, Kathleen, Richard, Karen, Michael, and Michelle.
After graduating, he went to work for the Madison Board of Education starting as a physical education teacher at Lincoln Heights Elementary and then taught biology at Madison High School. He went on to supervise Madison’s Occupational Work Adjustment Program (OWA). After retiring from the Madison school system, he went to work for the Richland County Board of Education as an attendance counselor.
In addition to his academic duties, he was an assistant football coach and the head wrestling coach from 1961-1979. Tom took great pride in coaching and mentoring young athletes and students alike. In 2015, Tom was honored by Madison High School when an inaugural wrestling tournament was renamed the Tom Ellis Classic. During his career, the Madison wrestlers won the Cardinal Conference Championship 1964-1965 and 1978-1979, and the J.C. Gorman Championship 1964-1965, 1966-1967, and 1978-1979. He coached six wrestlers who competed in the State Championship Wrestling Tournament, and two were state placers. He couldn’t stay away from something he loved dearly. When he retired, he could still be found attending football games, wrestling matches, and practices. He cherished lifelong friendships with former students and athletes and is proud that several of his wrestlers went on to become coaches. Some of his favorite coaching expressions were, “If you’re not right mentally, don’t get on the bus!” and “Do you have your ankles taped?”
Outside of coaching, one of Tom’s favorite summer jobs was pool manager at the Westbrook Country Club. He enjoyed outdoor activities such as fishing, canoeing, pontoon boating and family beach vacations. Tom and Marlene treasured the time they got to spend with their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He always enjoyed driving his pickup truck while listening to country music. He was also often heard shouting, “Showtime!” or showing off his best dance moves, most likely to “Mustang Sally.”
Tom was a member of St. Mary of the Snows Catholic Church, The Knights of Columbus, The American Legion, The Korean War Veterans Association, and was recently inducted into the Madison Rams’ Hall of Fame.
Tom Ellis is survived by his wife, Marlene; children, Kathleen (John) DiMario, Richard Ellis, Karen (Jim) Hargrove, Michael Ellis, Michelle (Jeffrey) Dillon; daughter-in-law, Diane Ellis; as well as his 22 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.
Grandchildren: Kaitlyn (Michael) Jonozzo, Thomas A. (Melissa) Ellis, Kourtney (Matthew) Samuelson; John (Rhea) DiMario, Eric (Courtney) DiMario, Jennifer (Jonah) Newburg, Sam (Riley) DiMario; Alexandra (Corey) Gates, Richard Ellis, Leah Ellis, Mandy (Christopher) Koenig; Joseph Hargrove, Mary Catherine Hargrove, Claire Hargrove; Anna (Phillip) Mesker, Patrick (Shannon) Dillon, Adam Dillon; Julia Ellis, Sofia Ellis, Andrew Ellis, David Ellis, and Daniel Ellis.
Great-Grandchildren: Benjamin, Nicholas & Christopher Jonozzo; Thomas A. & Jack Ellis; William & Abigail Samuelson; Rhys, Norah, Liliana & Charlie DiMario; Dominic & Luca DiMario; Rose, Josephine & Scott Newburg; Henry, Nora & Archer Gates; Peyton Koenig; Lydia, Lucy & Boniface Mesker.
Tom Ellis was preceded in death by his eldest son, Thomas Charles Ellis; his brother, Robert Ellis; his sister, Mary Jane Ball; and brothers-in-law, Oscar Ball and Irving Peters.
Family and friends are welcome to visitation on March 27, 2026, from 4:00 – 8:00 PM at Wappner Funeral Directors, 98 S. Diamond Street, Mansfield, OH 44902. The Mass of Christian Burial will be on March 28, 2026 at 9:00 AM at St. Mary of the Snows Catholic Church, 1630 Ashland Road, Mansfield, OH 44905. Burial will follow at St. Peter Cemetery, Loudonville, OH.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. Mary of the Snows Catholic Church; Madison Athletic Booster Club – wrestling program, 600 Esley Lane, Mansfield, OH 44905.
