Oct. 19, 1919 - Mar. 17, 2012
LeRoy Ellis
BURLEY – LeRoy Edmond Ellis passed away Saturday, March 17, 2012, at the age of 92, at Parke View Rehabilitation and Care Center in Burley.
LeRoy was born on Oct. 19, 1919, in Kersey Colorado, to Bert and Bess (Bartholomew) Ellis. They moved to Twin Falls, where LeRoy attended school at Washington School and Bickel Elementary. They later moved to Jerome where LeRoy graduated from high school in 1937. He attended Long Beach City College (now Long Beach State) for three years. He then transferred to Utah State University in Logan, Utah.
It was in Logan that he saw an advertisement for learning how to fly for free, courtesy of the United States Army. He took flying lessons in Logan and in Santa Maria, California. He joined the Army Air Corps when he was 21 years old. While finishing his training in California, Pearl Harbor was bombed, and his peacetime training became more serious. Throughout his combat service during World War II, LeRoy flew 50 missions in B-17's in Europe and Africa. During that time, he was shot down and had to parachute from the plane in Africa. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He also served briefly as the copilot for Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery of Great Britain.
LeRoy was sent back to the United States in September of 1943, and was assigned as an instructor for the Strategic Air Command at the Sioux City Air Base in Iowa. That is where he said he was introduced to two beautiful ladies – his wife, Connie Kelleher, and the B-29 bomber in which he taught other airmen to fly. LeRoy and Connie were married in Jerome in December of 1944, while he was on a leave.
When the war ended, LeRoy left the service with the rank of Major. He and Connie moved to Idaho, where he joined his father in the produce business. As they started their family, LeRoy and his father built a cabin on the lake in McCall. The Ellis family spent memorable summers on the lake, along with their cousins, the Meusers. In addition to working for his family business, LeRoy later farmed in partnership with Neil Weir, as Ellis and Weir, Inc. He also worked as a produce buyer for the A & P Tea Company in Burley, and later for Marvin Berry and Kelsey Miller.
Throughout his life, LeRoy enjoyed his family, friends, hunting, fishing, golfing, camping, and traveling. Following his retirement, LeRoy and Connie spent many happy winters in Yuma, Arizona. LeRoy was a life member of the Elks fraternal organization and of the Masonic Lodge in Jerome.
LeRoy is survived by his wife of 67 years, Connie; his four children, Michael (Judy) Ellis of Burley, Timothy (Christine) Ellis of Bluffton, South Carolina, Christine (Sam) Gillette of Twin Falls, and Hal (Kim) Ellis of San Antonio, Texas; nine grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and his only sister, Geraldine (Jack) Meuser, of Nampa. He was preceded in death by his parents and one nephew.
The family would like to express its gratitude to Dr. Michael Klett and the staff of Parke View Rehabilitation and Care Center for their excellent care and kindness.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 21, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, with LeRoy’s nephew, Gary Meuser officiating. Military rites will be provided by the Mini-Cassia Veterans Organization. A celebration of life will follow the memorial service at the Rupert Elks Lodge, 85 S. 200 W., of Rupert.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made in LeRoy’s name to the Elks Rehabilitation Hospital in Boise, or to the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
