Helen Ellis

helen ellis
J. Helen (Black) Ellis was born on March 22, 1936, in Hughes Springs, Texas to parents, Florence Cliffie Hilton and Perry Waple Black. A beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, she passed away peacefully on June 20, 2017 in Williams, California.

 In 1949 Helen moved with her family to San Francisco California and enjoyed many years in the company of her dear grandmother, Ora Belle Black Carter, aunts, uncles and cousins who had also relocated to California from Texas.  The day before Thanksgiving in 1954, on a blind date, she was introduced to (Wayne) Rick Ellis and they soon married on January 29, 1955.  All Helen ever wanted was to be a wife and mother and she welcomed her first child, Diana Lynn, in December of that year.  The birth of Sharon Kay and Richard Eugene followed to complete their family.  Together she and Rick created a home in South San Francisco, CA.  Though she and Rick would divorce in 1974, they remained friends and over the years continued to enjoy their children and the grandchildren they were blessed with:  Josh, Jared, Michele, Shawn, Haleigh, Logan and Olivia.

 Helen remained a genteel southern lady throughout her life.  Her spunky personality, flair and humor served her well.  She was always kind to strangers, engaging in conversation with those who were seeing hard times, always offering kindness, compassion and a tender heart.  In 1985 she moved to Lakeport, CA to be closer to Diana and her family. She always said that Lake County reminded her of East Texas.

Helen was an accomplished seamstress who made many of her own clothes, something she credited to her grandmothers’ teachings.  She was often found in her garden tending to flowers and she enjoyed reading, needlepoint and music, Elvis and Willie Nelson being her favorites. Helen especially enjoyed adding to her enormous collection of dolls that filled two entire rooms in her home.  Grannie, as the kids lovingly called her, looked forward to annual baking sessions individually with the grandchildren during the holidays.  And even when they were young adults, the kids still enjoyed this special “one-on-one” time with her. Helen was completely devoted to her children and grandchildren who truly brought the greatest joy to her life.   She was proud of her heritage and roots in East Texas and often made references to herself as “a little ‘ol Grannie from Texas.

Helen was easy to love.  Her delightful good humor, bountiful creativity and lively spirit made her the perfect playmate for the grandchildren she so adored.

Helen was preceded in death by her grandsons, Joshua Miles Hansen (2008) and Logan Robert Lunas (2014), her parents, sister Lillian Faye Black and brother Henry Marcus Black.  She is survived by her children: Diana (Michael) Lunas, Sharon Gillette and Richard (Lisa) Ellis; grandchildren, Jared (Kate) Hansen, Michele (Mansour) Massis, Shawn Gillette, Haleigh (Michael) Lunas-Johnson, Olivia Ellis; great-grandsons, MJ Massis, Landon Logan Lunas-Johnson, Oliver Miles Hansen and Mateo Massis; brothers, Glen (Wanda) Black, Kenneth Black; Aunts Edna Mae Williams, Jo Evelyn Black, Ruby Lee Black and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

In Helen’s memory, the family wishes that in lieu of flowers donations be made to discover a cure for the disease of Alzheimer’s: Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322  Eighth Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY  10001.

Services to welcome Helen home will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, July 1, 2017 at Harris Chapel United Methodist Church with Bro. Les Colley officiating. Burial will follow at Harris Chapel Cemetery under the direction of Reeder-Davis Funeral Home in Hughes Springs. There will be a time of visitation from 6:00 until 8:00 Friday evening at the funeral home. Pallbearers will all be local members of Helen’s family.

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  1. My condolences; please remember that Our Heavenly Father authorized Jesus Christ to tell us that many now dead will live again (John 5:21, John 11:24-25). Also 1 Peter 5:7 says Almighty God cares for you.


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