Born November 10, 1920 in Three Creeks, Arkansas, he was the son of James Walker and Anna Mae Jennings Ellen. Mr. Ellen attended Hugh Goodwin School and El Dorado High School after which he attended night classes in Jr. College for two years after World War II. He served in the U. S. Army as a Staff Sergeant with the 731st Engineers for three years in France, Germany, the Philippines and Japan.
He was a member of First Baptist Church since 1932, serving as a teacher of four year old children for nine years. He was a member of the original Scout Troop #14 of the First Baptist Church, attaining the rank of Eagle and later served as Assistant Scoutmaster. He was longtime Kiwanian, serving as Vice President, thru President and several years as recording secretary. Mr. Ellen also volunteered at the Medical Center of South Arkansas with the MCSA Auxiliary.
He later joined in business with brothers, Joe and Ray to form Ellen Brothers Electric as general electrical contractors. Some of the major projects the company worked on in the 1950’s and 1960’s were the Municipal Auditorium, Prescolite, Columbian Carbon Co., Hugh Goodwin, the old Washington High School, Retta Brown, Northwest Elementary School and the First Presbyterian Church Chapel.
Mr. Ellen took a position as maintenance manager for Industrial Tool and Die in 1962 and later in 1970 went to work for Wheeling Pipeline Trucking retiring from Miller Transport as Maintenance Engineer.
Preceding him in death along with his parents were his first wife, Faye Canady Ellen, second wife, Melba Born Ellen and a brother Joe Ellen.
Survivors include a daughter, Janice Sue Fournier of El Dorado, a son, Lee Ellen (Jeanie) of Rosebud, AR. Surviving grandchildren great-grandchildren are Jason Ellen (Rona) of Tulsa and their 3 sons, Drake, Lucas and Rafe; Zachary Carnes of Rosebud and his daughter, Riley; Jesse Ellen (Tonia) of Rosebud and their children, Devin, and Jessica Burrows and Nya Ellen; Jeffrie Wetherhold (Joe) of Freeport, Maine and their children, Olivia and Zoe. Also surviving is a brother, Ray Ellen (Ann) of El Dorado, AR.
Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 2, 2019 in Young’s Chapel with Rev. Adair Ellen officiating. Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until service time. Interment will follow at a later date in Rest Haven Memorial Gardens under the direction of Young’s Funeral Directors.
Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church Building Fund, 200 W. Main St., El Dorado, AR 71730.
An online registry will be available at www.youngsfuneralhome.com.
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