Frances Ellis
d. May 16, 2014
Graveside services for Frances Elizabeth Ellis will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, May 23, 2014 at Oakland Cemetery in Centerville, Iowa. Memorials may be made to Heartland Hospice of the Quad-Cities.
Fran was born June 13, 1921 in Centerville, Iowa. Her parents were Francis and Elizabeth Gerdon. She married Max E. Ellis May 17, 1941.
She was mostly a homemaker but did work as a telephone operator and at S & L Department Store for short periods of time. She went to modeling school in Chicago during the war and was always sporting the latest and most modern fashions including lots of hats and gloves.
She excelled and several things: high school basketball, golf and sewing. Her basketball team went to state, she captured a few trophies at the Centerville Golf and Country Club and had created costumes for the Shiners’ Zoo Parade Unit. She was a fast and clever Bridge player.
She and Max were faithful members of the First Presbyterian Church in Centerville. They enjoyed civic music concerts. Thanks to modern medicine she found peace of mind in her later years and enjoyed traveling with her daughter, Stephanie. She moved to Ottumwa, Iowa to be nearer to Stephanie and then to Davenport, Iowa. She had a beautiful smile and a great laugh, was generous and always saw the bright side of life.
On Friday, May 16, 2014, Fran passed away peacefully of old age at Jersey Ridge Place in Davenport where she has resided for several years.
She is survived by her daughter, Stephanie and her husband Tom Raphael-Nakos; her grandson, Judd Phillips and his wife, Eleza Jaeger and their two daughters, Hazel and Rhye; her stepson Matthew (Jessica) Nakos; her granddaughters, Madeline and Emma Nakos; and her sister-in-law Marilyn Ellis .
In addition to her husband, Max, Fran was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Kathleen (Guy)Sadaro; her brother, Leonard (Lorene) Gerdon; and her brother-in-law, Don Ellis.
The family would like to thank the staff of Jersey Ridge Place who not only were professional and capable but who worked with love and respect, who gave of themselves, who were reliable and trustworthy. They fill the place with joy! A special warm thanks also to Heartland Hospice who were always there and encouraging.