James Ellis

James Lester Ellis of Norfork, Arkansas, passed away December 22, 2018, in Mountain Home, Arkansas at the age of 67. He was born May 23, 1951, in Memphis, Tennessee, the son of Robert and Betty Jo Davis Ellis. He married Margaret on August 9, 2000, in Las Vegas, Nevada, and was a teacher for Memphis City Schools for 28 years. After moving to Norfork in 2001, he went to work for Mountain Home Schools; starting at the junior high, then the high school, teaching math. He enjoyed carpentry and loved fishing on the White River and in Alaska. He enjoyed going to the school early to tutor students in math. He also coached girls basketball and softball in Memphis. In Mountain Home, he was Chad Dewey's assistant softball coach and then became the softball coach before retiring from coaching.

James is survived by his wife, Margaret Ellis of Norfork, AR; parents, Robert Pearce and Betty Jo Ellis of Star City, AR; brother, Robert Pearce (Pam) Ellis, Jr. of Ashland, MS; sister, Cynthia (Billy Ray) Wallace of Montgomery, TX; step-son, Mark (Teresa) Humphries, III, of Wesley Chapel, FL; four nieces and nephews, Brian Shane (Melissa Anne) Ellis, Robert Pearce (Ann Marie) Ellis, III, Angela Gayle Conrad, and Robert Jeffrey Wallace; and seven grand nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Lester Clark and Elva Belle Davis and paternal grandparents, James Orin Ellis and Cornelia Utley Ellis Holzman.

Celebration of Life Service for James will be held in the spring.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.

Arrangements are by Kirby and Family Funeral and Cremation Services - Mountain Home, Arkansas.