S. Richard Ellison

S. Richard Ellison, 94 of Kosciusko County, Indiana, passed away at 11:35 am Monday, May 5, 2014 in his residence. On September 10, 1919, he was born in Huntington County, Indiana to Samuel Edward and Ida Mae (Gesaman) Ellison. He was united in marriage to Mildred “Millie” Penn on February 16, 1945 in Huntington, Indiana. She preceded him in death on June 26, 2012. Richard graduated from Andrews High School in 1937 and then he moved from Huntington to his Monroe Township Farm in 1950. He retired from farming and cleaned seed for the Kosciusko County Seed Improvement Association for many years, going to farms in Northern Indiana and Lower Michigan. He was a member of Packerton United Methodist Church and a lifelong member of Farm Bureau. He also was an avid blood donor for the Red Cross. He was a generous man, who was very giving of his time and resources. He made maple syrup for many years and he was a very good story teller. He would often tell stories of his childhood. Richard is survived by four daughters, Mary Lou Cotton, Syracuse, Dorothy Rutledge and Steve King, Claypool, Betty (and spouse Dan) Ormsby, Columbia City and Linda Lambert and Reg Smith, Warsaw; two sons, James (and spouse Karen) Ellison, Warsaw and Donald (and spouse Kelly) Ellison, Rural Pierceton; three sisters, Annice Buesking, Carmel, Ruth (and spouse Wallace “Pete”) Yentes, Mason, Ohio and Carolyn (and spouse Harry) Ringer, Tampa, Florida; seventeen grandchildren, twenty-two great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a sister, Mary Margaret Jackson. Richard considered his family as his greatest investment. His daughter-in-law, Karen was his primary care giver whom he called his “Absolute Angel”. A funeral service will be at 11:00 am Wednesday, May 14, 2014 at McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel, Pierceton with Pastor Bill Wood officiating. Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery, Pierceton. Visitation hours will be from 4:00 – 8:00 pm Tuesday, May 13, 2014 and one hour prior to the service Wednesday at the funeral chapel. Memorial contributions may be made to Kosciusko Homecare and Hospice, P.O. Box 1196, Warsaw, Indiana 46581-1196 or to Packerton United Methodist Church.