Obituary for Norman Ellis

Norman Earl Ellis of Ponca City died on Friday afternoon June 27, 2014 at the age of 93. He was born in Sedan, Kansas on November 22, 1920 to Earl Delos Ellis and Edith Lucilla Weaver Ellis.

A 1938 graduate of Sedan High School, Mr. Ellis lettered in basketball, tennis, and was the doubles horseshoe champion. After high school, Norman attended Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, KS on a basketball scholarship.

War was declared in 1941. After Pearl Harbor, Norman joined the Aviation Cadets and was sent to Fort Riley, KS where he joined the Army Air Corps. Basic pilot training was in Waco, TX. He then joined the glider pilots and completed ten months of training at Twentynine Palms, CA where he earned his glider pilot wings.

Norman transferred to Bombardier training in Santa Ana, CA finishing school in Deming, NM earning his Bombardier wings. He joined a B24 squadron in Clovis, NM deploying to Adel Bridge, Scotland in 1943. He pulled 30 missions on B24s “Little Lulu” and “Sunshine Jane”; 15 missions over Germany and 15 missions over France. He played an integral part in the D-Day invasion and the St. Lo Breakthrough. On the way to England, Norman stopped at Herington, KS to marry Wanda Dunham. The two married in a private ceremony at the minister’s home on February 9, 1943. Wanda took the bus home to Ponca City and Norman flew to England by way of Morrison Field in Florida. After Norman finished his tour of duty, he traveled to Sedan and picked up Wanda where they traveled to Miami Beach, FL for R&R. They then transferred to Midland, TX, then Monroe, LA, and as the war ended Norman was honorably discharged from active duty in Boise, ID. He continued in the reserves for many years and retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force.

The Ellis family moved to Ponca City and Norman began work for Continental Oil Company. Taking advantage of the GI Bill, Norman attended Oklahoma A&M earning a B.S in Geology and continued to work for Conoco in Ponca City for over 40 years. He was a Mason for 60 years. He coached YMCA basketball and baseball for many years and was a Scout Master for Explorer Scouts.

Norman was preceded in death by his wife, Wanda Ellis, his parents, three brothers, two sisters, and his granddaughter Nancy Ellis of Bartlesville.

He is survived by children John Ellis of Dunstable, MA, James Ellis and wife Darrelle Ann of Bartlesville, Mike Ellis and wife Sally of Ponca City, Teresa Ellis Cales and husband Ray of Edmond, and Kevin Ellis and wife Tracy of Edmond, 11 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. His grand children are Jason Ellis, Jamie Ellis Soucy, Amy Ellis Orchard, Doug Ellis, John Michael Ellis, Matthew Ellis, Kristen Cales-Young, Brian Cales, Paige Ellis Mock , Teagan Ellis and Samantha Ellis. Great grandchildren are Miles Ellis, Macie Ellis, Ayla Soucy, Ryan Soucy, JDub Orchard, Ashlyn Orchard, Norman Orchard, Allan Ellis, Allie Ellis, Andrew Ellis, Ethan Ellis, Harper Ellis, Avery Cales, and Kylie Cales.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. July 2, 2014 at the First United Methodist Church, 200 S. Sixth Street, Ponca City with internment following at Resthaven-Sunset Memorial Park with full military and Masonic honors.

Source: Trout Funeral Home