Susie Ellis Richards

She was born in Waynesville, NC., the eighth of eleven children born to the late Carl and Ninnie Bryson. Susie spent her childhood in the mountains of western North Carolina working the farm with her parents and siblings.

A childhood accident caused Susie to lose the use of her left arm for the rest of her life. However, that loss didn’t slow her down. At sixteen, she moved to Chattanooga to live with her sister Ila and study secretarial services at Kirkman School. In Chattanooga she met and married Davis W. Ellis. Together they had two children, Deborah and Stuart.

While living in central Illinois, Susie was left a widow with two teenage children. She returned to Chattanooga, attended Baroness Erlanger School of Nursing, and became a registered nurse. After a long career in nursing, Susie retired and spent several years working with the benevolence outreach at Brainerd Baptist Church.

Susie faithfully attended Duncan Park Baptist Church prior to joining Brainerd Baptist Church. At Brainerd Baptist Church, she met her second husband, Robert (Jack) Richards.

Throughout her life Susie was a loving daughter, aunt, wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

She is preceded in death by her first husband, Davis Ellis and her second husband, Robert Richards, along with her parents Carl and Ninnie Bryson, sisters Lois, Ruby, Edna, Ila, Jessie, Billie, Sally Kate and Pansy, and her brother Mack.

She is survived by her children Deborah Gray and Stuart (Laura) Ellis, grandchildren Kristin (Andrew) Light, Nathan (Katy) Holland, Christopher (Katherine) Ellis, Caroline (Levi) Holt, Drew (Emily) Ellis, and twelve great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother Duane (Vivian) Bryson.

A Celebration of Susie’s Life will be held in the East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home on Saturday June 25, 2022 at 1:00 pm with Rev. Dr. Steve Rowland officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.

The family will also receive friends at the Wells Funeral Home on Saturday July 2, 2022 at 11:00 am with a funeral service to be held at 1:00 pm with Rev. Larry Reeves officiating. She will be laid to rest in Waynesville, NC., in the Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery alongside her husband Davis.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Scott Sherrer, her caregivers Linda, Dale, and Evelyn, the caregivers with Preferred Care, and Regency Southern Care Hospice.

Memorial contributions may be made to Brainerd Baptist Church, 300 Brookfield Ave, Chattanooga, TN 37411.

Local Arrangements are under the care of Chattanooga Funeral Home Crematory and Florist East Chapel, 404 South Moore Rd. East Ridge, TN 37412. Arrangements in North Carolina are under the care of Wells Funeral Home, 296 N. Main Street, Waynesville, NC 28786.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ChattanoogaEastChapel.com for the Richards family.