Wayne O. Ellis, 91, died Friday October 25, 2013 at his home in Chanute.
Wayne was born on November 4, 1921, the son of James O. and Cecile (Whitworth) Ellis in rural Erie, KS. He graduated from Erie High School in 1939 and from Chanute Junior College in 1941.
During World War II, he trained as a glider pilot in the Army Air Corp. and served in the US Navy. While in the Navy he attended the V-7 officers training program at Rennsalaer Polytechnic Institute at Troy, New York and Midshipman School at Cornell University receiving his commission in August 1945. He remained active in the Active Naval Reserve after the war serving as Commanding Officer of the U.S. Naval Reserve Electronic Division 9-12 at Parsons, Ks and Division 9-13 at Independence, Ks. He retired with the rank of Commander in 1966.
After the war Mr. Ellis worked 38 years for the Kansas Department of Transportation.
He passed his Engineer-in-training and Professional Engineers exam in 1969, receiving a license as a registered Professional Civil Engineer. He served as the resident Engineer at Paola, in charge of the relocation and construction of 21 miles of US 169 from Springhill south to Osawatomie from 1969 to 1975, as Assistant Engineer of Construction field in Topeka from 1975 to 1980, and as District Construction Engineer in Chanute from 1980 to 1984. He retired in 1984 and became a farmer and stockman.
Mr. Ellis loved flying and was an avid pilot. He owned three different airplanes and flew off and on for 62 years.
He also liked traveling, snow skiing, Elk hunting and gardening.
He was a member of the First Christian Church in Chanute where he served as elder and chairman of the board, the American Legion, the VFW, the Masonic lodge bodies in Erie and Iola and past member of the Kansas Engineering Society and the National Society of Professional Engineers.
He was married to Norma L. Roberts on September 12, 1943.
Survivors include two sons; Jay of Olathe, Ks and Thomas J. of Chandler, AZ; three daughters; Pamela K. Thuillez of Chandler, AZ, Nancy Rowlett of Paola, KS and Becky R. Jesseph of Chanute, KS; eleven grandchildren, four step grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and 10 step great grandchildren; sister; Jo Ann Stoneking of Derby, Ks.
He is preceded in death by his wife, parents, twin infant sons, Larry and Lonnie, brothers, James D. and Lewis, sister, Mary Betty and a granddaughter Angela Thuillez.
Penwell-Gabel Funeral Homes, Chanute, KS
Wayne was born on November 4, 1921, the son of James O. and Cecile (Whitworth) Ellis in rural Erie, KS. He graduated from Erie High School in 1939 and from Chanute Junior College in 1941.
During World War II, he trained as a glider pilot in the Army Air Corp. and served in the US Navy. While in the Navy he attended the V-7 officers training program at Rennsalaer Polytechnic Institute at Troy, New York and Midshipman School at Cornell University receiving his commission in August 1945. He remained active in the Active Naval Reserve after the war serving as Commanding Officer of the U.S. Naval Reserve Electronic Division 9-12 at Parsons, Ks and Division 9-13 at Independence, Ks. He retired with the rank of Commander in 1966.
After the war Mr. Ellis worked 38 years for the Kansas Department of Transportation.
He passed his Engineer-in-training and Professional Engineers exam in 1969, receiving a license as a registered Professional Civil Engineer. He served as the resident Engineer at Paola, in charge of the relocation and construction of 21 miles of US 169 from Springhill south to Osawatomie from 1969 to 1975, as Assistant Engineer of Construction field in Topeka from 1975 to 1980, and as District Construction Engineer in Chanute from 1980 to 1984. He retired in 1984 and became a farmer and stockman.
Mr. Ellis loved flying and was an avid pilot. He owned three different airplanes and flew off and on for 62 years.
He also liked traveling, snow skiing, Elk hunting and gardening.
He was a member of the First Christian Church in Chanute where he served as elder and chairman of the board, the American Legion, the VFW, the Masonic lodge bodies in Erie and Iola and past member of the Kansas Engineering Society and the National Society of Professional Engineers.
He was married to Norma L. Roberts on September 12, 1943.
Survivors include two sons; Jay of Olathe, Ks and Thomas J. of Chandler, AZ; three daughters; Pamela K. Thuillez of Chandler, AZ, Nancy Rowlett of Paola, KS and Becky R. Jesseph of Chanute, KS; eleven grandchildren, four step grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and 10 step great grandchildren; sister; Jo Ann Stoneking of Derby, Ks.
He is preceded in death by his wife, parents, twin infant sons, Larry and Lonnie, brothers, James D. and Lewis, sister, Mary Betty and a granddaughter Angela Thuillez.
Penwell-Gabel Funeral Homes, Chanute, KS
Wayne O. Ellis, 91, died Friday October 25, 2013 at his home in Chanute.
Wayne was born on November 4, 1921, the son of James O. and Cecile (Whitworth) Ellis in rural Erie, KS. He graduated from Erie High School in 1939 and from Chanute Junior College in 1941.
During World War II, he trained as a glider pilot in the Army Air Corp. and served in the US Navy. While in the Navy he attended the V-7 officers training program at Rennsalaer Polytechnic Institute at Troy, New York and Midshipman School at Cornell University receiving his commission in August 1945. He remained active in the Active Naval Reserve after the war serving as Commanding Officer of the U.S. Naval Reserve Electronic Division 9-12 at Parsons, Ks and Division 9-13 at Independence, Ks. He retired with the rank of Commander in 1966.
After the war Mr. Ellis worked 38 years for the Kansas Department of Transportation.
He passed his Engineer-in-training and Professional Engineers exam in 1969, receiving a license as a registered Professional Civil Engineer. He served as the resident Engineer at Paola, in charge of the relocation and construction of 21 miles of US 169 from Springhill south to Osawatomie from 1969 to 1975, as Assistant Engineer of Construction field in Topeka from 1975 to 1980, and as District Construction Engineer in Chanute from 1980 to 1984. He retired in 1984 and became a farmer and stockman.
Mr. Ellis loved flying and was an avid pilot. He owned three different airplanes and flew off and on for 62 years.
He also liked traveling, snow skiing, Elk hunting and gardening.
He was a member of the First Christian Church in Chanute where he served as elder and chairman of the board, the American Legion, the VFW, the Masonic lodge bodies in Erie and Iola and past member of the Kansas Engineering Society and the National Society of Professional Engineers.
He was married to Norma L. Roberts on September 12, 1943.
Survivors include two sons; Jay of Olathe, Ks and Thomas J. of Chandler, AZ; three daughters; Pamela K. Thuillez of Chandler, AZ, Nancy Rowlett of Paola, KS and Becky R. Jesseph of Chanute, KS; eleven grandchildren, four step grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and 10 step great grandchildren; sister; Jo Ann Stoneking of Derby, Ks.
He is preceded in death by his wife, parents, twin infant sons, Larry and Lonnie, brothers, James D. and Lewis, sister, Mary Betty and a granddaughter Angela Thuillez.
Penwell-Gabel Funeral Homes, Chanute, KS
Wayne was born on November 4, 1921, the son of James O. and Cecile (Whitworth) Ellis in rural Erie, KS. He graduated from Erie High School in 1939 and from Chanute Junior College in 1941.
During World War II, he trained as a glider pilot in the Army Air Corp. and served in the US Navy. While in the Navy he attended the V-7 officers training program at Rennsalaer Polytechnic Institute at Troy, New York and Midshipman School at Cornell University receiving his commission in August 1945. He remained active in the Active Naval Reserve after the war serving as Commanding Officer of the U.S. Naval Reserve Electronic Division 9-12 at Parsons, Ks and Division 9-13 at Independence, Ks. He retired with the rank of Commander in 1966.
After the war Mr. Ellis worked 38 years for the Kansas Department of Transportation.
He passed his Engineer-in-training and Professional Engineers exam in 1969, receiving a license as a registered Professional Civil Engineer. He served as the resident Engineer at Paola, in charge of the relocation and construction of 21 miles of US 169 from Springhill south to Osawatomie from 1969 to 1975, as Assistant Engineer of Construction field in Topeka from 1975 to 1980, and as District Construction Engineer in Chanute from 1980 to 1984. He retired in 1984 and became a farmer and stockman.
Mr. Ellis loved flying and was an avid pilot. He owned three different airplanes and flew off and on for 62 years.
He also liked traveling, snow skiing, Elk hunting and gardening.
He was a member of the First Christian Church in Chanute where he served as elder and chairman of the board, the American Legion, the VFW, the Masonic lodge bodies in Erie and Iola and past member of the Kansas Engineering Society and the National Society of Professional Engineers.
He was married to Norma L. Roberts on September 12, 1943.
Survivors include two sons; Jay of Olathe, Ks and Thomas J. of Chandler, AZ; three daughters; Pamela K. Thuillez of Chandler, AZ, Nancy Rowlett of Paola, KS and Becky R. Jesseph of Chanute, KS; eleven grandchildren, four step grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and 10 step great grandchildren; sister; Jo Ann Stoneking of Derby, Ks.
He is preceded in death by his wife, parents, twin infant sons, Larry and Lonnie, brothers, James D. and Lewis, sister, Mary Betty and a granddaughter Angela Thuillez.
Penwell-Gabel Funeral Homes, Chanute, KS
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