Cemetery Photo

Ellis Deweese
Ellis graduated from Fort Cobb High School in Fort Cobb, Oklahoma in 1939. Shortly thereafter, he, along with other graduates and his sister Fama, boarded a bus for Washington, D.C. and the World’s Fair in New York City. Upon his return from this first adventure of his young life, he joined the United States Navy and headed towards an even bigger adventure.

Ellis was stationed in the South Pacific during World War II, achieving the rank of Chief Petty Officer while working in the Naval Aviation Corps as Chief Mechanic.

Upon completion of his naval duties, Ellis came home to Oklahoma, enrolling in college at Northeastern State College in Tahlequah. There he played baseball for the Redmen, batting an impressive 381 his senior year. He also met the love of his life, fellow student Betty Jo Wright, at a local drugstore where one can imagine they shared a chocolate malt. They would ultimately share the next 58 years as husband and wife from 1947 through 2005.

After graduating from NSC in 1950 with a degree in Engineering, Ellis began his lifelong career in education, teaching math before going back to school to obtain a Masters in Education Administration degree from the University of Arkansas.

He, Betty, and their three children moved to Stilwell, Oklahoma in 1959 whereupon he began his administrative career as a grade school principal, a job he would hold for the next 22 years before retiring in 1981.
While working and living in Stilwell, Ellis would develop a passion for building, living in, and then selling homes. It is said that the last home he and Betty built in 1967, and the home they would share until their deaths, was indeed the last one because Betty had adamantly stated that “I have moved 20 times in 23 years and this will be my last move.”

After retiring in 1981, Ellis and Betty spent the better part of the next 20 years traveling North America (their fifth wheel trailer in tow), attending all of their grandchildren’s school and sporting events and enjoying the annual family reunions.

We are pretty sure that Dad determined that March 30th would be a great day to go to heaven as the professional baseball season opening day would start on the 31st. This way he could enjoy the games with full vision and hearing.
Note: If there are brown beans and corn bread in heaven then Dad has four of his favorite things with him: Betty, his family, baseball, and brown beans and cornbread. (Maybe 5 if you add chocolate!)

We will all miss you very much.
And thanks for the memories and your life well lived.

Ellis was preceded in death by his parents: Cortes and Mary Jane Deweese, wife: Betty Deweese, sisters: Mildred Orrell, Charlotte Weinmeister, Bea Bellamy, Fama Webb, brother: Gillis Deweese and grandson: Kyle Burris.

He is survived by his children: Ronald Deweese and wife Susan of Salina, OK, Mary Burris and husband Phillip of McAlester, OK, Charles Deweese and wife Meg of Broken Arrow, OK, grandchildren: Blaine Burris of Mary Esther, Fl, Ellis Wesley Deweese and wife Bonnie of Houston, TX, Bridget Deweese of Tulsa, OK, Chris Cummins and wife Crystal of Pryor, OK, Whitney Clifton of McAlester, OK, Katherine Deweese of Chicago, IL, Benjamin Deweese of Groton, CT, great grandchildren: Macala Clifton, Michael Clifton, Mallorie Clifton, all of McAlester, OK, Gabriel Nowak, Madalyn Nowak, Abigail McElroy, all of Tulsa, OK, Marley Cummins, Daisy Cummins of Pryor, OK, Owen Deweese of Houston, TX. He is also survived by many other relatives and a multitude of friends.

Funeral services were held at 2 pm on Friday, April 4, 2014 at First Christian Church, Stilwell, OK with Eldon Wilson and Jim Woolsey, Jr. officiating. Interment followed at Stilwell City Cemetery under the direction of Roberts/Reed-Culver Funeral Home.

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