Edwin Ellis ~ 1915-2007

Edwin Ellis spent a lot of time around kids, but throughout her entire life, Wendy Ellis said she never remembers her dad getting mad.

"He was a very positive guy," Wendy Ellis said. "He loved to laugh."

Mr. Ellis taught journalism at Ela-Vernon High School (now Lake Zurich High School) before receiving his master's in business administration from Northern Illinois University and taking over as the first business manager at Adlai Stevenson High School.

Friends and family will remember Mr. Ellis's upbeat spirit during memorial services scheduled for Saturday.

Born in Chicago in 1915, Mr. Ellis died at the age of 92 on Aug. 17 after a brief battle with leukemia.

Mr. Ellis attended Ferris State College and Central Michigan University, graduating in journalism in 1940. Shortly thereafter, he joined the staff of the Saginaw News.

He joined the Army in 1942 and spent the war years training bomber pilots before being sent to Italy as a photographer for the Stars and Stripes Newspaper.

Wendy Ellis said her father loved taking pictures.

"I have a garage full of all the photos he took," she said.

After the war, Mr. Ellis became editor in chief of the Cherry Circle Magazine, a publication of the Chicago Athletic Association. After that, he went into teaching at Ela Vernon High School.

Mr. Ellis also served as president of the Palatine Lions Club and the Illinois Association of School Business Officials before retiring in 1980.

"He was very active in the community," his daughter said.

After retiring, Edwin Ellis spent his winters in Arizona, so he could enjoy one of his favorite hobbies.

"He liked to be able golf year round," Wendy Ellis said.

Mr. Ellis is survived by Gladyce, his wife of 65 years; his daughters, Heather Van Meenen (Dennis) of Cary, Wendy Ellis (Paul Meincke) of Des Plaines and Dr. Shannon Ellis (Richard Adcock) of Reno, Nev.; and six grandchildren, Alexis and Derek Van Meenen, and Daniel, Zachary, William and Cody Meincke.

Friends and family are invited to visitation starting at 10 a.m. Saturday at Salem United Methodist Church, 115 W. Lincoln Avenue in Barrington.

Visitation will be followed by an 11 a.m. memorial service and luncheon.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Edwin Ellis Scholarship Fund, 975 Webster Lane, Des Plaines, IL 60016.