Mr. James Edward Ellis Jr.

James “Jim” Edward Ellis Jr. was born on February 24, 1943 in New Castle, IN. His father James Edward Ellis Sr. was a WWII POW in the Army Air Force and was shot down over Germany becoming a POW for almost 2 years. James, Sr. later owned a mechanics business for 43 years. His mother Catherine, nee Stevens, held down the home-front with little Jimmy and later ran the business alongside James, Sr.. James Sr and Catherine raised their 3 children Jim, Carole Ann, and Steve in Carthage ,where they themselves had grown up. Jim graduated from Carthage High School in 1960 and went on a music scholarship to Butler University in Indiana. He pledged Phi Delta Theta and graduated in 1966. After auditioning for the U.S. Army Field Band, he was accepted in June 1966. He traveled the U.S. playing for dignitaries including President Johnson, President Nixon, and at Arlington National Cemetery at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider. He received an Honorably Discharge June 13, 1969. Jim returned to Indiana to begin his own family, marrying Sharon Bennett and becoming a father to Meridith Bennett, 1972, and Emily Stevens, 1975. He was grateful to raise his family near his hometown which allowed for frequent weekend family visits to his parent's home in small town Indiana. Concurrent with the birth of Jim's second daughter, he became an insulin dependent diabetic. Jim later became very knowledgeable about Type 1 and worked hard to maintain his health. He even mentored and volunteered with the JDRF. His career began as a buyer for L.S. Ayres Department Store in 1970. In 1974 Jim changed jobs to apparel sales and traveled Indiana and Kentucky, representing such lines as Tinkerbell, Buster Brown and Dearfoam Slippers. In 1983 Jim and his family made the big decision to move to Orlando with Jim representing Stedman Mills apparel to major theme parks and textile distributors building sales from 1 million to 7 million within 5 years. After five years Jim took on a new challenge with Oneita Industries and Tultex fleece growing their sales from 400, 000 to 12 million annually. Jim held accounts with exciting companies like Ron Jons, Hard Rock Cafe, Panama Jack, and Sea World. Jim continued to travel back to Indiana several times a year. You could always count on Jim to be trackside each Memorial Day at the Indy 500. He very enthusiastically attend over 60 races, but still could be found listening to his old 1963 Indy 500 record album. Jim recently donated his 60 year old Indy 500 scrapbooks to the race museum. They contained one of a kind photos and rare newspaper clippings. Jim also jumped wholeheartedly into the inaugural season of the Orlando Magic becoming a season ticket holder for many years. Jim had a love of airplanes and flying that started with his father's experience in WWII. Jim made models, memorized data, stalked runways, flew with friends, and collected everything Airplane. His field of knowledge expanded to both theaters of WWII and Naval Aviation. Because Jim so valued the preservation of the memory of the Greatest Generation, he donated a large collection of Naval Cruise Books to the Pensacola Naval Aviation Museum and Unit Histories to the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum. Jim felt grateful to live near Wekiva Springs State Park, and enjoyed all things outdoors, especially canoeing and hiking. After his divorce, he started a life filled with exercise, spending time at the gym, practicing yoga, and fast walking. He was hard to keep up with as he sped around Lake Eola or in his neighborhood of Shadow Bay. In 2002 he fulfilled a dream of hiking 7 ½ hours in and out of the Grand Canyon. He traveled often to Colorado to visit his brother, Steve, and to Columbia for his granddaughter Kate. Jim also loved Savannah, where he lived as an infant while his father completed his aviation training. An exotic trip was taken on the Amazon. His most exciting trip was landing and staying the night on an aircraft carrier. James E. Ellis Sr. was Jim's personal hero and he took tremendous inspiration watching his father grandparent Meridith and Emily. In 2007 Jim had the opportunity to follow his father's example when Emily and her husband Craig gave birth to a daughter and named her Katherine in memory of Jim's Mother. Kate and Jim-A-Jim loved to go on walks together and read books. After almost 25 years traveling Florida, Jim retired from the road and focused on life near home in Orlando, working with his friends printing shirts and as a Park Ranger for the City of Altamonte Springs. Jim loved his church family at Wekiva Presbyterian Church. He was very active there, acting as a deacon and usher, visiting the sick and infirm, and helping at church garage sales. He was pleased and thankful he still had the “chops” to serve his congregation with music, playing solo trumpet with the church organ and choir. Jim could be often be found at the beach on January 1st, at a lakeside dinner with a friend, flying through the skies above Florida, at a concert, an antique store, or helping one of his many friends or family members. He felt “lucky, surprised and happy to be alive”. He will be remembered for his hard work, long lasting friendships, knowledge of all things fast and flying, and his deep commitment to his family: siblings Carole Ann Marsh & Steve Ellis, children Emily and Craig Hoffman & Meridith Ellis, niece and nephews Mardina Marsh, Scot Marsh and Family, and Steven Ellis, and granddaughter Katy Hoffman. Memorial Service will be held at Nov. 3 at 2 P.M. East Street Christian Church on 7 E First St Carthage, IN 46115 In lieu of flowers please donate to Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund. http://jdrf.org/get-involved/ways-to-donate/ Arrangements are entrusted to DeGusipe Funeral Home & Crematory, 9001 N. Orlando Avenue, Maitland, Florida 32751. (407) 695-CARE(2273).

Mr. James Edward Ellis Jr.

February 24, 1943 - October 20, 2013