Frances L. Ellis

Frances Lee Shryock Ellis passed away in her 90th year on January 23, 2017 surrounded by her family. Injuries sustained in a serious fall proved to be too much. Friends and family are welcomed to visit on Friday evening, January 27th at Karen and Ric Abbott’s residence. The funeral service will be held on Saturday, January 28th at Harper Funeral Home at 10:00 a.m. followed by a graveside service at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Odessa, Texas at 3:00 p.m. Fran was born on Feb. 22, 1927 in Madison, Illinois. She spent most of her childhood in Champaign, Illinois with her mother Elizabeth McDaniel Shryock Riley. Fran attended the University of Illinois. It was at a USO dance in Champaign that Fran met the love of her life, Harold Lester Ellis, Jr. (Harry) and they were married June 15, 1947. Fran worked as the secretary of Texas A&M’s commandant to support Harry while he returned to complete his Chemical Engineering degree. Harry’s work in the oil industry kept them moving from West Texas to the Gulf of Mexico, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Canada, and Nigeria. Fran became a wonderful hostess and a master of setting up and decorating a new home in record time. They were married for 68 years and after retirement lived in Bartlesville, Oklahoma for 35 years. In 2012, Fran and Harry moved to San Angelo to live with their youngest daughter Karen and her husband Ric Abbott. For the past two years Fran resided at New Haven Assisted Living (formerly Bee Hive Homes). Fran was a beautiful, strong, smart and fun-loving woman who made friends easily wherever she lived – she had no choice as they moved 34 times. In addition to raising three children, she loved to play the piano, duplicate bridge, golf and dance with Harry to Big Band music. Her humor and love of life will be greatly missed. Fran is predeceased by her mother Elizabeth Riley, her husband Harry Ellis, her in-laws Jelly and Helen Ellis of Odessa, her sister-in-law and brother-in-law Helen Marie and Frank Morris of Odessa, her two older brothers Guy McDaniel and Gordon Shryock, her niece Donna Morris and her nephew Mike Morris of Odessa. She is survived by her daughter Nancy (Herman) Vanderlaag of Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, her son Harold (Christina) Ellis III of Richmond, Virginia, her daughter Karen (Ric) Abbott of San Angelo, Texas, her 9 grandchildren Nikki (Steve) Davy, Carla (Chace) Holland, Kathy Vanderlaag (Craig Peters), Harold Ellis IV, Matt Abbott (Ed Piker), Jenny Ellis, Stephanie (Tom) Deignan, Carrie Ellis, Cassie Ellis and her 6 great grandchildren Cameron, Tristan, Lily, Mackenzie, Jake and Cole, her nephew Tim (Judy) Morris of Ruidosa, New Mexico, her nephew Steve (Olivia) Morris of Victoria, Texas and her niece Cherie Widmayer of Artesia, New Mexico. Fran’s family would like to thank Dr. Chris Barnett, Kindred Hospice of San Angelo, Visiting Angels and the staff at New Haven (Bee Hive) for the wonderful care and support they gave to Fran and our whole family.