Steve was a founding member of the Men of Valor - a group of men who love and serve the Lord. This photo was taken in 2023 at Farm to Fork in Ringgold GA for those brothers who lived locally. Our group met via Zoom with members in Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, Nevada and Illinois.

Grief Share Ministry was recently initiated by Steve Ellis as an outreach ministry at Silverdale Baptist Church for those who have lost a loved one. We love you Steve with all our hearts!

Steve and I, as well as others, taught the Damascus Road Sunday School class for several years. Starting with only a few folks, the class became so large that we eventually at one point, our class was moved to the Silverdale gymnasium to accommodate our growth and outreach. 

In recent years, Steve established a Grief Share Ministry at Silverdale and asked me recently to take his place on the leadership team for those who have suffered the loss of a loved one. 

My wife Tammy and I met through Steve and Joyce in the Damascus Road Sunday Scholl class, and were eventually married in the living room at Steve's house.

I love you Steve with all my heart!!! You and Joyce had a profound impact on my life. I look forward to an eternal fellowship with you, Damascus Road and Grief Share in Heaven! Luke

Steve has been a dear friend for the better part of this past decade. His love for others always overflowed to those in need, with a willingness to go the extra mile to help. At the darkest time in my life, when my wife of 50 years passed, Steve took me under his wing as my brother to support me in many ways including taking me weekly to a program in Cleveland TN called GriefShare. He brought that same program to Silverdale which touched so many lives. Steve-until we meet in heaven, know I am eternally grateful for your friendship.

We are saddened by Steve’s passing and our hearts go out to his family. He was a godly man and a wonderful person. A strong witness for Christ in how he lived his life! Please except our condolences.

Steve was such a character. He was the leader of my Grief Share class at Silverdale, I met him 2 weeks after I lost my dad. He always had the best sense of humor and we would always pick on each other. He would always talk about his wife, Joyce and they had a love that was untouchable, he spoke highly of her at all times, he would always says how she would fuss at his driving,  “cleaning the house” (or lack of) among other typical things husbands and wife’s “argue” about. He would call me and check on me from time to time, especially in the first few months of losing my dad, aside from seeing eachother in our Grief Share class, once a week. 
After he became sick, he told me a few times that when he got to Heaven (if Joyce would let him in) that he would go tell my daddy that he raised a “pistol of a girl, who was always sarcastic and talking “nonsense” about politics.” And that he was thankful to have known me. 
I know he kept  that promise.
I know he is missed by many, especially his family, he was a good, sweet, silly friend and mentor and I miss him deeply. 
I know that Jesus and Joyce welcomed him home and that reunion was everything he had ever wanted.

Steve and Joyce were my Sunday School Teachers at Silverdale Baptist and he was the Leader of the Grief Share Group I recently attended. He was truly a man of God and will be missed.

I will surely miss your dad sense of humor ( or lack thereof) haha. Often I could not tell if he was serious,… he could keep such a straight face. 
I love him. He had a heart for Christ and loved to show kindness to others. 
I remember him sending (sponsoring) a teen in his neighborhood to a Christian Weekend. He made sure every detail was covered and made sure she did not need to pay any money.  

One of the most fine men I have ever known.  Don and I will miss having him in our home. I am so thankful he now has a completed body and perfection of every aspect. 
To the kids: you have honored your father  
Great job.

OBITUARY

Stephen Deard Ellis Sr.

September 28, 1949 – December 4, 2025

Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory & Florist-East Brainerd Chapel

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