Thomas Stanley (Stan) Ellis, 61, of Alexandria, VA, died suddenly of a heart attack in Alexandria on October 26, 2010.
He was born December 26, 1948, to Myron and Helen (McCall) Ellis at the home of his McCall grandparents in St. Paul, KS. His family moved to various locations before moving to Parsons, KS, in 1959.
He attended St. Mary's Grade School and St. Patrick's High School for one year and graduated from Labette County High School in Altamont in 1966. He received an associate degree from Labette County Junior College in 1968 and graduated from the State College of Pittsburg (now Pittsburg State University) in 1970 with a bachelor of science in business administration.
Upon graduation, Mr. Ellis enlisted in the U.S. Air Force for four years and served as a radio communications analyst in Turkey and Korea. He was assigned to the USAF Security Service, which was composed of the top one-half of one percent of enlisted recruits. Members of this select group could not discuss their jobs which were highly sensitive and considered essential to U.S. cold war efforts. He was honorably discharged in the rank of sergeant in September 1974.
He had been employed at the Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Safety since 1975 and quickly became the primary resource for railroad safety data. At the time of death, Mr. Ellis was a senior information technology analyst and one of the most popular and beloved members of the Office of Safety FRA team. He also touched a number of people in the rail industry and was an authoritative source of information provided by the FRA.
Mr. Ellis was a life member of the Brown-Bishop Post No. 704, Veterans of Foreign Wars, of Parsons, and was an avid supporter of veteran activities and events, especially those relating to his father's World War II service. His special interests included running in marathons, working out, railroad history, military history, and historical artifacts. He was devoted to his family and enjoyed staying connected with cousins from all over the country. His off the wall sense of humor and his kidding will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Mr. Ellis is survived by two sons, Thomas Ellis and Robert Ellis, of Alexandria, VA; his parents of Parsons, KS; a brother, John Ellis, of St. George, UT; three sisters, Margie Ramsey of Parsons, and Sharon Ellis and Barbara Ellis, both of Springfield, VA; four nephews, Brandon Ellis, Doug Ramsey and wife Sweta, Mike Ramsey and wife Jessica, and Alex Ellis; and three nieces, Melanie Ramsey Neighbor and husband Marc, Kathie Ramsey Esposito and husband Joe, and Samantha Marcroft; three great-nephews, Atticus Ramsey, Mike Ramsey, and Jonas Ramsey; and five great-nieces, Chloe Neighbor, Kailee Ramsey-Westhoff, Isabella Ramsey, Katie Florence, and Ashton Esposito. He married Song Hui Hong in Korea in 1974. Their marriage ended in divorce.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Jim Ellis, on June 19, 2001, a brother-in-law, Richard Ramsey, on July 25, 2000; and a great-niece, Raylen Ramsey, on December 15, 2000.
A memorial service was held Wednesday, November 3, 2010, at the Jefferson Funeral Home in Alexandria, VA. A funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, November 13, 2010, at 9:30 a.m. at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Parsons, followed by burial with military honors at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. The rosary will be held at 6:30 p.m., Friday, November 12, 2010, at the Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons where the family will receive friends immediately following.
Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association, the VFW Brown-Bishop Post 704, or to St. Patrick's Catholic Church. These may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, 67357.
Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Stan Ellis, please visit our flower store.
He was born December 26, 1948, to Myron and Helen (McCall) Ellis at the home of his McCall grandparents in St. Paul, KS. His family moved to various locations before moving to Parsons, KS, in 1959.
He attended St. Mary's Grade School and St. Patrick's High School for one year and graduated from Labette County High School in Altamont in 1966. He received an associate degree from Labette County Junior College in 1968 and graduated from the State College of Pittsburg (now Pittsburg State University) in 1970 with a bachelor of science in business administration.
Upon graduation, Mr. Ellis enlisted in the U.S. Air Force for four years and served as a radio communications analyst in Turkey and Korea. He was assigned to the USAF Security Service, which was composed of the top one-half of one percent of enlisted recruits. Members of this select group could not discuss their jobs which were highly sensitive and considered essential to U.S. cold war efforts. He was honorably discharged in the rank of sergeant in September 1974.
He had been employed at the Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Safety since 1975 and quickly became the primary resource for railroad safety data. At the time of death, Mr. Ellis was a senior information technology analyst and one of the most popular and beloved members of the Office of Safety FRA team. He also touched a number of people in the rail industry and was an authoritative source of information provided by the FRA.
Mr. Ellis was a life member of the Brown-Bishop Post No. 704, Veterans of Foreign Wars, of Parsons, and was an avid supporter of veteran activities and events, especially those relating to his father's World War II service. His special interests included running in marathons, working out, railroad history, military history, and historical artifacts. He was devoted to his family and enjoyed staying connected with cousins from all over the country. His off the wall sense of humor and his kidding will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Mr. Ellis is survived by two sons, Thomas Ellis and Robert Ellis, of Alexandria, VA; his parents of Parsons, KS; a brother, John Ellis, of St. George, UT; three sisters, Margie Ramsey of Parsons, and Sharon Ellis and Barbara Ellis, both of Springfield, VA; four nephews, Brandon Ellis, Doug Ramsey and wife Sweta, Mike Ramsey and wife Jessica, and Alex Ellis; and three nieces, Melanie Ramsey Neighbor and husband Marc, Kathie Ramsey Esposito and husband Joe, and Samantha Marcroft; three great-nephews, Atticus Ramsey, Mike Ramsey, and Jonas Ramsey; and five great-nieces, Chloe Neighbor, Kailee Ramsey-Westhoff, Isabella Ramsey, Katie Florence, and Ashton Esposito. He married Song Hui Hong in Korea in 1974. Their marriage ended in divorce.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Jim Ellis, on June 19, 2001, a brother-in-law, Richard Ramsey, on July 25, 2000; and a great-niece, Raylen Ramsey, on December 15, 2000.
A memorial service was held Wednesday, November 3, 2010, at the Jefferson Funeral Home in Alexandria, VA. A funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, November 13, 2010, at 9:30 a.m. at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Parsons, followed by burial with military honors at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. The rosary will be held at 6:30 p.m., Friday, November 12, 2010, at the Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons where the family will receive friends immediately following.
Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association, the VFW Brown-Bishop Post 704, or to St. Patrick's Catholic Church. These may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, 67357.
Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Stan Ellis, please visit our flower store.
Guestbook
Visits: 0
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors