Obituary & life story....
Harold Porter Ellis
Celebrating a life well lived and remembering a great man with a sense of
humor like no other who left a footprint on the hearts of so many, we say
farewell to a legend in our eyes.
Porter passed away Thursday, Sept. 5, 2013, in Toledo, Ohio, the result of
metastatic melanoma. He was on his way to his 60th high school reunion when his
illness overcame him in Toledo after enjoying a few wonderful days visiting his
sister, Mollie.
Born Harold Porter Ellis on March 2, 1936, in Alliance, Ohio, Porter was
the third child of seven born to May and Harold Ellis.
Porter graduated from Alliance High School in 1953, and attended Mount
Union College for two years before attending the Naval Cadet Program and serving
in the United States Navy for four years as an officer and helicopter pilot in
Pensacola, Fla., and Quonset Point, R.I. Porter also served in the United States
Army Reserves and retired from the same after 16 years of service.
Porter married his high school sweetheart and love of his life, Saundra
Smith, in 1958. After his discharge from the Navy, they moved to Long Beach,
Calif., where he earned his bachelor's degree at California State University,
Long Beach, in 1961. Porter then worked for Honeywell for five years as a
technical writer until he was he was hired as a pilot by Western Airlines in
1966. This was a dream job to him, which he truly loved throughout his entire
career. Western Airlines later merged with Delta Airlines, from which he retired
in 1996. Porter and Sandy were very fortunate to have been able to travel the
world as a benefit of the job he loved so much. They also traveled together to
every state in the continental United States in their motor home.
Porter and Sandy were married 55 years and were together for five years
prior to that. They had three children, Deborah Anderson and Kathryn Moore, and
son Michael Ellis, who was injured in a small plane accident in 1978 and
preceded Porter in death in 1986. They have four wonderful grandchildren, Ryan
and Lindsay Anderson, and Kelly and Jason Moore.
Porter also leaves behind his sister, Mollie Palmer; brothers, Bill and Don
Ellis; and son-in-law, Mike Anderson.
He was predeceased by his parents; his sister, Madeleine Curtis; and
brothers, Richard and Barry Ellis.
Porter was a longtime member of the United Methodist Church of Thousand
Oaks and a faithful volunteer for Senior Concerns. He was awarded the Senior
Volunteer of the Year award for delivering Meals on Wheels for too many years to
remember.
Porter loved playing golf, mostly at Los Robles Golf Course in Thousand
Oaks with his many friends, old and new. He loved to ski in Utah and learned to
snowboard very well in his '70s. He was an avid runner since his early college
days in Alliance, Ohio.
Anyone who knew Porter knows he loved to laugh and make people laugh with
his quick wit and contagious sense of humor. All who knew him have a story to
tell with a smile on their face in remembrance.
Please join us in a celebration of Porter's life at a memorial service to
be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013, at United Methodist Church of
Thousand Oaks at 1000 E. Janss Road.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Hospice of the Conejo
Valley or Conejo Valley Senior Concerns in Porter's name. (10-1-13)
~ IN MEMORY ~
WA Capt. H. Porter Ellis (Harold Porter Ellis)
March 2, 1936 ~ September 2013
Harold Porter Ellis, born/raised in Alliance Ohio, was the son of the late
Harold C. and Leila M. (Porter) Ellis. Captain Ellis joined Western Airlines
05-02-1966 and retired with Delta Air Lines at the mandatory age 60 in 1996,
based 030/LAX.
Survived by his wife Saundra personal condolences may be sent
to the Ellis family at
1167 Calle Pinata , Thousand Oaks CA 91360-6121 ...
(805) 523-7879
(805) 523-7879
Services for Captain Ellis to be held October 19th at 3 PM, at United
Methodist Church located on the corner of Janss Rd at Windsor, Thousand Oaks
CA.
To date I have not been able to locate an
online obituary. Should we receive more information, updates will be
posted on our blogspot at
http://pcnflightwest.blogspot.com/
Thank you,
~ Carol
~ Carol
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