Shirley Anne Ellis

Shirley Anne Ellis departed this earth on Friday, December 15^th and is now at peace.  She was born in Brunswick, Georgia on February 24^th, 1936, the daughter of Herbert Harris and Willie Dan Wheeler Bryan. She is now at rest with her husband, Wes Ellis.

Shirley was a true Georgia Peach and Southern Belle.  When she was born, the family lived on Champney Island, Georgia and two years later, the family moved to Butler Island Plantation, Georgia where she lived until graduating from Darien High School in 1954.  After high school graduation, she and the family moved to Mission, Texas.  While her Texas roots run deep, her heart always remained in the Georgia Sea Islands.

After moving to Mission, Texas, Shirley Anne attended Texas A&I University in Kingsville, Texas where she met the love of her life, Wes Ellis.  They were married for 65 years until Wes’s passing in 2022.

Shirley and Wes moved throughout Texas and south Louisiana with the oil and gas industry until settling in Mineral Wells in 1967. Shirley was an active homemaker and her love language was cooking, which was always central to family and friend gatherings.

Shirley was active in the Mineral Wells community as a member of the school Parent Teacher Organization, The Study Club, The Women’s Club, Palo Pinto General Hospital Auxiliary, Meals on Wheels and a 40-year board member of Hope Women’s Shelter. She was most proud of her involvement with Hope and the opportunity to provide shelter and counseling to women and children in need. 

Shirley was a woman of great faith and was a loyal, longstanding member of the Mineral Wells First Presbyterian Church.  She was a Sunday School teacher, active in adult Sunday School, a member of the Women of the Church and was humbled by the call to serve as an Elder.

Shirley is predeceased by her husband, Wes Ellis, her parents, Herbert Harris and Willie Dan Wheeler Bryan and her brother, Dr Herbert Harris Bryan, Jr.  She is survived by her brother-in-law, Charles “Doug” Ellis of New Braunfels, Texas, her son, COL (Ret) Bryan Ellis and wife Lorna of Kingsland, TX, daughter Dee Anne and husband Col (Ret) Frank Richie of Dumfries, VA, granddaughter Kylee Wolfe and wife CPT Emily Wolfe of Ft Belvoir, VA and grandsons CPT Austin Ellis of Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington and Bryan Richie of Ft Worth, TX.

Pallbearers are COL (Ret) Bryan Ellis, Col (Ret) Frank Richie, CPT Austin Ellis, Bryan Richie, Mike Pruitt and Sam Hickey.  Honorary pallbearers are Doug Ellis, Steve Herbst, Charles “Chuck” Hunnicutt, Charles Hickey, Stan Powell, Keith Hoster and Fred Smith.

A special thanks to Shirley’s caregivers, who showed great compassion and treated her like family – Jeannie McMinn, Marguerite McLaughlin and Christy Ballard. Thanks also to the Solaris Hospice Team for their wonderful care in her final days.

Funeral service will be 10 a.m., Tuesday, December 19, 2023 at First Presbyterian Church in Mineral Wells.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the First Presbyterian Church, Mineral Wells or the Hope Women’s Shelter, Mineral Wells.