Patty (Pat) Davis Ellis passed away on September 4, 2024 at the Platte County Legacy Home in Wheatland just four days after her 99th birthday. Her ninety-nine years were filled with family, friends and her faith, and in her own words, “it was a wonderful life.”
Pat was born August 31, 1925 in Mountain Grove, Missouri to Grant and Era (Taylor) Davis. She spent her childhood years in Texas and southwestern Missouri, and graduated from Cabool Missouri High School in 1941. Pat went to Blue Mountain College in Blue Mountain, Mississippi for two years where she made life long friends. She then graduated from William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri in 1947. At William Jewell, Pat was a member of their very successful debate team, helped organize the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority, and graduated with a degree in Spanish. She had ideas of either going to law school or graduate school, but the summer after her graduation she answered an ad in the Memphis newspaper for a Spanish and English teacher in Chugwater. Not long after arriving in Chugwater, she met Bill Ellis, who had returned from World War II and was ranching with his uncle, Earl Marsh. Pat’s year long adventure in the “West” became a lifetime of ranching and raising a family on Bear Creek after Bill and Pat were married on December 10, 1948 in Springfield, Missouri. Before long Philip and Carolyn were added to the family, and Susan was born nine years later.
Pat and Bill lived at the ranch and were involved in the Chugwater community for 62 years. Pat returned to teaching after all three children started school and taught reading, English and Spanish for sixteen years at Chugwater. Pat loved her students and enjoyed her years of teaching. She was always dedicated to her family, and her retirement from teaching gave her more time to help her aging parents and be involved in the lives of her eight grandchildren, who will remember playing many games with her through the years. After retiring she also helped coach the Wheatland debate team and became an active member of the American Legion Auxiliary McDonald-Voight Unit 75 in Chugwater.
Pat was very involved in the Chugwater Valley Church where she directed the choir for thirty years and helped start the Judson Missionary Circle. She also taught Sunday School, led youth group, and helped organize Vacation Bible School for many years. Pat’s love for the Lord was evident in her concern for people, her prayers for everyone from family members to foreign missionaries, and her interest in and support of many Christian ministries. Her life long practice of writing letters and notes encouraged many throughout her long life. She leaves a legacy of loving others and serving the Lord with a smile.
After Bill’s illness and death in 2011, Pat lived in Cheyenne and was involved in North Christian Church until 2021 when she moved to the Legacy Home in Wheatland, Wyoming. She continued her ministry of encouragement there by going through the halls and visiting with people. The family would like to thank the many compassionate caregivers and staff at the Platte County Legacy Home for caring for “Patty” during her final years, as well as those who helped her while she was living in Cheyenne.
Pat is survived by her three children, Philip Ellis, Carolyn Nix and husband Tim all of Chugwater, and Susan Mathews and husband Bill of Anchorage, Alaska, and by her eight grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren: Amanda (Mark) Pollard and son Lincoln of Greeley, Colorado; Sarah (Sam) and sons Ellis and Griffin Booth of Denver; Laura (Derek) Nevins and children Davis, Luke, Isla and Vance of Cheyenne; Carrie Nix of Cheyenne; Jacob (Jerah) Nix and children Graham, Claire, Juan and Jack of Chugwater; Paul (Alli) Nix and children Axel and Kit of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Grant (Blair) Mathews and children Cora, Penelope and Miles of Anchorage, and Katie Mathews of Anchorage. She is also survived by her nephew, Mark Newport of Springfield, Missouri, and many cousins and great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Bill, her parents, her daughter-in-law, Joy Ellis, her sister, Carolyn Newport, and two nephews, Steve and Timmy Newport.
Visitation will be Thursday, September 12th from 4-6 p.m. at Schrader’s Funeral Home. A Graveside service will be held on Friday, September 13th at 10:30 a.m. at Lakeview Cemetery in Cheyenne followed by a Memorial Service at 2:30 p.m. at Chugwater Valley Church in Chugwater.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Chugwater Valley Church, PO Box 27, Chugwater, WY 82210.
