Obituary

Robert John Ellis, our beloved father, finished his time on earth April 4, 2023. He was 93 years old and a few days short of his 75th wedding anniversary. He and our sweet mother, Mary Bay Ellis, were married on April 9, 1948.

He was born July 6, 1929, the third child born to Merlin and Echo Ellis. Except for his sister Rosemary Wilson, his siblings have all preceded him to their next estate. They are Bonnie Pryor, Lee Ellis, Glen Ellis, Steven Ellis and Dorothy Lindsay.

Bob and Mary are the parents of ten children. With their spouses, they are Laura and Brian Leary, Marianne and Davis Tonks, Kathy and Kent Parsons, Connie and Rob Carrier, Chris and Richard Quincy, Bob and Pam Ellis, Dean and Erika Ellis, Paul and Amy Ellis, Nancy and Medardo Gomez, and Scott and Kristi Ellis. Paul preceded him in death. Bob and Mary are also grandparents to 57, great-grandparents to 137, and great-great-grandparents to 4. They have 271 descendants, including spouses.

Dad’s family lived in Bountiful and Salt Lake City, Utah until he was nine years old, when they were asked to go to Palmyra, New York to farm the Joseph Smith farm and to welcome visitors to the Joseph Smith home. He worked and grew there until he was 16 and returned to Salt Lake City, where he met Mary Bay. When his family was asked to return to Palmyra in 1948, he quickly married Mary in the Salt Lake temple and took her along with his family to New York.

Dad worked hard all of his life. He was a surveyor and worked for Nielson and Maxwell Engineering for many years and he was Sandy City Surveyor for 20 years, retiring in 1991. He also worked many extra hours on his own and with his sons to make ends meet. He often met Mom and the kids at a lake or reservoir after work to water ski for a few hours before dark.

He and Mom have served in many callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including cheerfully teaching Primary when they were 88 years old, and continued faithfully attending meetings until recently when their health made it impossible. They served together as Church Service Missionaries for a total of 26 years. Dad’s surveying skills were called upon to go to the Church ranches in Florida twice, to the Church property in Laie, Hawaii, and again to Palmyra, New York on their 50th wedding anniversary. He also worked short-term at Church properties in Alaska and many other places in the United States until he was 82 years old.

Mom and Dad have been able to stay in their home in Sandy, Utah because six of their children live near enough to care for them, night and day. Those of us who live farther away are so very grateful for their loving and tender care.

The family is grateful also for the kind and helpful neighbors and friends and Angel Crossings Hospice for all they have done.

Visitation will be Monday, April 10 from 6-8:00 pm at Larkin Mortuary, 1950 E 10600 S, Sandy, UT and funeral services will be Tuesday April 11 at 11:00 am at the Crescent 8th Ward Chapel at 2080 Pinecrest Ln, Sandy, with viewing before from 9:30 to 10:30 am. Burial will take place at the Taylorsville City Cemetery at 4567 S Redwood Rd.