Rennie Alton Ellis Jr.

Born in Escambia County, Alabama, on August 22, 1927, he was the son of Rennie Alton Ellis, Sr. and Louella (Griffin) Ellis. Known to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren as “Paw-Paw,” he graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in Baytown, Texas, and in 1949, from Texas A&M University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

On March 12, 1951, he married Elizabeth Keith. They remained married for 72 wonderful years.

After his marriage to Elizabeth, the couple moved to Ft. Belvoir, Virginia where Rennie was stationed as a Lieutenant in the United States Army. In 1953, he was deployed to Korea. He served with distinction in the 3rd Infantry, 10th Combat Engineer Battalion. While in Korea, he was awarded the Bronze Star for bravery in the laying and clearing of minefields under enemy fire. While Rennie was in Korea, Liz returned to Baytown to live with Rennie’s parents. Shortly after his deployment, their first son, David, was born. After his return, they remained in Baytown, with Rennie starting a career as a mechanical engineer at the (then) Humble Oil and Refining Company. Their second child, Kevin, was born in 1955.

As he and Elizabeth’s children grew, Rennie became an active volunteer in Little League and Optimist Football, among other organizations. Throughout his life, Rennie loved building and flying model airplanes and was an accomplished model airplane builder and radio-controlled model airplane aerobatic pilot. He was also an excellent woodworker and automobile mechanic. In 1956, he designed and, with his father, built the Ellis home in Baytown, doing everything themselves except for pouring the concrete slab.

The Ellis’ raised their boys and remained in that house until 2005, when Elizabeth told Rennie she’d experienced her “last danged hurricane,” and the couple moved to College Station, where they became avid Aggie Baseball fans.

Rennie will be remembered for his kindness, generosity, and love of his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and friends, as well as for his character and integrity. He will be missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his son David and wife Patti, as well as grandchildren David Rennie “Bo” Ellis, Jr. and wife Patricia, Molly Raney and husband Jordan, Emily Eifert and husband Walker, Ashley and husband Steven Reed, Natalie Ellis, and 12 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Elizabeth, and son, Kevin.

Rennie’s family wishes to extend a special thank you to Tish Johnson, Belina Jackson, Angela McGinty, Doris West, Tina Green, and Hospice Brazos Valley for their skilled, compassionate, and loving care.

A graveside service will be held in College Station at the Aggie Field of Honor, College Station Memorial Cemetery, on Monday, August 24th at 10:30AM. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Hospice Brazos Valley (https://www.hospicebrazosvalley.org/).