Gary Lee Ellis
July 6, 1943 – May 7, 2021
Gary Lee Ellis, 77, of Edmond, Oklahoma, passed away at home on Friday, May 7, 2021.
Gary was born in Sedalia, Missouri on July 6, 1943. He grew up with his parents, Carl Shields Ellis and Mary Margaret (Hammond) Ellis and his sister, Joyce.
Gary is a graduate of Smith-Cotton High School, Hannibal-LaGrange Baptist College, Oklahoma Baptist University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He spent his life serving as an ordained minister specializing in Religious Education and Church Administration. Over his career, he served in five different churches in four states.
He married Linda Gale (King) Ellis on April 24, 1965. They had two children: Mark and Stephen.
Gary had a passion for teaching God's Word and helping others understand the Bible. He loved to study at great lengths to better understand the truths of God's Word prior to teaching and looked for ways to shed new light on the passage presented.
After retiring from First Baptist Church of Edmond in 2015, Gary continued to teach Sunday School, read voraciously, and began woodworking as well. Working in his garage brought him joy. He also enjoyed jazz music and Westerns.
He is survived by his wife Linda; his two sons and their wives, Mark and Christa Ellis and Stephen and Kristen Ellis; four grandchildren, Kyla, Bethany, Karli and Brooklyn Ellis, all of Edmond; and his sister Joyce Blaylock of Tucson, Arizona as well as other relatives and friends.
The family will greet friends on Tuesday May 11, 2021 at Matthews Funeral Home from 5-7 p.m. A celebration of Gary's life will be at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday at Edmond First Baptist Church.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to the building fund at First Baptist Church of Edmond.