Mary Lou “Motsie” Ellis
Mrs. James U. Ellis, the former Mary Lou McGaughey Ellis, died peacefully May 23, 2013 surrounded by her family. She was a long time native of Greenville. Funeral services will be held at Kavanaugh United Methodist Church Chapel on Sunday, at 2:00 p.m. with Reverend Steven Cotten officiating. Burial will be at East Mount Cemetery where other family members are buried. Visitation will be Saturday, May 25, 2013 at Coker-Mathews Funeral Home.
Mrs. Ellis was born in Greenville, Hunt County, on June 1, 1918, the daughter of H. Charlton McGaughey and Emma Walsh. Her father, H. Charlton McGaughey established the McGaughey Drug Store in 1902. She was affectionately known by a nickname “Motsie,” a name given her by her father at an early age. She was a member of Kavanaugh United Methodist Church, being one of the oldest original members of Kavanaugh.
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After graduating from Greenville High School she continued her education by attending East Texas State College, Southern Methodist University, University of Texas, and Peabody College in Nashville, Tennessee, receiving Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees. She taught school for thirty-one years, teaching in Corpus Christi, Mesquite and Highland Park in the Dallas area, and retired from teaching while teaching in Greenville. As a teacher she was awarded “Teacher of the Year” twice for outstanding services, retiring in the Greenville schools in 1983. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Jr. Pallas Club, Garden Study Club, and
the Fellowship Class of Kavanaugh Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James “Pinkie” Ellis, on August 27, 1968.
Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, James Charlton and Carolyn Ellis, a daughter and son-in-law, Emma Lou and Gene Rhodes, and two grandchildren, Brian Ellis and fiancee Lauren Egee of Austin, and Elizabeth Ellis of San Francisco.
The family wishes to express special thanks to the staff at Madison on Marsh in Dallas for the loving care they gave our mother.
Pallbearers will be Brian Ellis, Gene Rhodes, Herb Sharp, Randy Tarpley, James Evans and David Williams.
