James Clair Ellafrits passed away on August 11, 2018, at home in Naples, Florida, following 20+ years dealing with Parkinson's Disease and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). He was born April 14, 1941, in Almont, Michigan, the oldest child of Clair and Alice (Sutton) Ellafrits, who returned to their hometown of Lakeview, MI in 1944. During the years Jim was growing up in Lakeview, he worked in the family businesses: Lakeview Dairy, Lakeview Dairy Bar, and Danish Maid Bakery, along with Harken's Grocery Store. He was also active in Boy Scouts (earning his Eagle Scout designation), played the tuba in the high school band and also played football.
Jim graduated from Lakeview High School in 1959 and from Ferris Institute in 1963 with a degree in Business Administration, having majored in accounting. While at Ferris, he was a member of Delta Sigma Pi Fraternity. Upon graduation, he accepted a position with Arthur Andersen & Co. in Charlotte, North Carolina; he soon transferred to Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) and became a partner with the firm. While with Arthur Andersen, he joined the Army Reserves and subsequently served a year in Vietnam, after which he was awarded the bronze star for bravery. He remained with Accenture in Charlotte and later in Atlanta, Georgia, until his retirement in 1997.
On August 15, 1970, Jim married Phyllis DeSerio Rendeiro of Paramus, New Jersey, and together they raised Phyllis’ daughter JoAnn (Rendeiro King) and JoAnn’s daughter, Jessica (King Fagin). Jim was, at heart, a family man, and thoroughly embraced any activities involving Jessica, such as scuba diving classes, helping with homework, golfing, donating to whichever charity she was supporting at the time, and watching her many performances. The family enjoyed traveling the world, cruising, and spending winters on the beaches of Aruba. While Jim was always a hard worker and traveled much on the job, he was always there for his family, immediate and extended, when they needed him. Jim and Phyllis are role models for the vow “in sickness and in health” as the last decade has not been kind to them.
Jim is survived by his wife Phyllis, his granddaughter Jessica (Stephen) Fagin, and great-granddaughters Deanna and Melody. He is also survived by siblings Sharon Ellafrits Seys, Dick (Joan) Ellafrits, John (Rebecca) Ellafrits, and Susan Ellafrits Brockschmidt, along with many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Clair and Alice Ellafrits, his step-daughter JoAnn Rendeiro, and brother-in-law Wade Seys. He was also predeceased by his parents-in-law Joseph and Mary DeSerio, sister-in-law Grace, and sister- and brother-in-law Muriel and Albert Sauer.
The family thanks Sonia Rivera, Maday Perez, Nolan Sanchez, and the other healthcare workers, along with VitasHospice (SW Florida), for the loving care they provided to Jim and will continue to provide to his wife, Phyllis.
An intimate Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, August 14, at 7pm, with refreshments, at Hodges Funeral Home at Naples Memorial Gardens, 525 - 111th Ave. N., Naples, FL. We welcome friends to share their memories of Jim.
A formal Memorial Service will be held on Friday, August 31, at 2pm, with visitation during the hour prior to the service at New Life United Methodist Church, 6584 W. Howard City-Edmore Road, Six Lakes, MI. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests those wishing to offer expressions of sympathy to make a donation to the Parkinson’s Association or the Ellafrits Scholarship Fund (through the Lakeview Community Foundation).
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18