S. Richard Ellison, 94, Kosciusko County, passed away at 11:35 a.m. May 5, 2014, at his residence. He was born Sept. 10, 1919, in Huntington County to Samuel Edward and Ida Mae Gesaman Ellison. On Feb. 16, 1945, in Huntington he married Mildred “Millie” Penn, who died June 26, 2012. He graduated from Andrews High School in 1937 and then 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, often telling stories of his childhood. He considered his family as his greatest investment. His daughter-in-law, Karen, was his primary caregiver, whom he called his “Absolute Angel.” Surviving are 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, Fla.; 17 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. He was also preceded in death by a sister, Mary Margaret Jackson. Services will be at 11 a.m. May 14 at McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel, Pierceton, with Pastor Bill Wood officiating. Burial is in Hillcrest Cemetery, Pierceton. Calling is from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and one hour prior to services at the funeral chapel. ***** Memorials to Kosciusko Homecare and Hospice, P.O. Box 1196, Warsaw, IN 46581-1196 or to Packerton United Methodist Church. Condolences may be sent via mchattonsadlerfuneralchapels.com
