Joan Gillis Ellis Inman

Joan Gillis Ellis Inman died in the compassionate care of Saint Anna’s at Lambeth House on June 29, 2025 after a brief illness. She was preceded in death by two wonderful husbands both of whom she “loved equally”. Joan attended Louise S. McGehee High School and later, after her graduation from Newcomb College, married her college sweetheart, Richard Parke Ellis, Sr. on December 20, 1951. Together they raised three children, Gretchen Gillis Ellis (Jay) of Charlottesville, VA, Stephanie Ellis Reaves (John) of Atlanta, GA and Richard Parke Ellis, Jr. (Nancy) of New Orleans. They remained married for nearly 29 years until her husband’s death in September of 1980.

On December 26, 1983, Joan was remarried to Leslie Lauder Inman, bringing together two families that had known each other as friends since their college years. Joan was blessed with three stepchildren, Paul Lauder Inman (Kathleen) of Portland, OR, Leslie Karen Inman of Raleigh, NC and John Hooper Inman (Elizabeth) of Denver, CO. Leslie and Joan were married for 31 years until his death in 2015.

Joan cherished her summers at the Ellis family beach home in Gulf Shores, Alabama. She loved to comb the shoreline for shells and particularly liked crabbing in the “Galoon” behind the house. At home in New Orleans, Joan was a devoted wife and an involved mother, always supporting her children in their various school and sports endeavors. She believed in volunteering, serving two stints as president of the LaSalle School PTA and several years tutoring in the reading program at Christ Church Cathedral. Joan was also a member of the Junior League of New Orleans. She was an ardent fan of New Orleans sports teams, especially her Tulane Green Wave football team. She would dutifully call her son after each game to give her opinion, good or bad, on the team’s performance or lack thereof. Joan loved playing games and she and Dick would spend many Saturdays playing an after-lunch game of cribbage, Scrabble or Gin Rummy over a Bloody Mary.

The marriage to Leslie brought on the “travel years” and together, as empty nesters, they took vacations around the globe. Eventually they found two locations that drew them away for summers at a time: Folly Farms in Tetbury, England, and an apartment in Venice, Italy.

Joan was also predeceased by her parents Gary Eldridge Gillis and Carlotta Kraft Gillis as well as her sister, Gretchen Kraft Gillis. She is survived by her younger sister, Gary Gillis Baker Churchill. They remained close through the decades, and the family is grateful for Gary’s timely visits as Joan’s life neared its end.

Joan is also survived by seven grandchildren (Lily Schlothauer, Molly Schlothauer, Emily Diamond MacPherson, Betsy Ellis Clement, Meg Ellis Chernekoff, Matt Inman Cochrane and Barrett Inman) along with 11 great-grandchildren; brother-in-law, the Honorable Frederick Stephen Ellis; and many nieces and nephews.

Joan was known by friends and family to be smart, perceptive and engaging. As a mother she did a wonderful job of balancing maternal worry with sage advice and counsel. Simply put, she was a good person with a great moral compass. We are all the better for having been surrounded by her love.

Following a private family burial at Metairie Cemetery, friends and relatives are invited to attend the visitation at St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church at 1545 State Street in New Orleans on Monday, July 7th, beginning at 10:00 a.m. followed by funeral services at 11:00.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations in Joan’s memory be sent to either the Greater New Orleans Foundation or the charity of the donor’s choice.