Mr. James Rufus Elllis

Mr. James Rufus Ellis, age 91 of Stuart went to be with the Lord Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at Memorial Hospital of Martinsville and Henry County. He was born on Sept. 18, 1918 to the late Cary Rufus and Louisa Ann Corns Ellis. In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by a son, Donald Ray Ellis; six sisters, Florence Griffin, Norah Biggs, Gracie Stovall, Bertha Smith, Nina Nelson and Pearl Nelson; and two brothers, Leonard and Delma Ellis. He was retired from Lester Home Center with 48 years of service, a lifelong farmer and was of the Baptist faith. He was a charter member of the Moorefield Store Vol. Fire Dept. and helped build the fire station. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather.
Surviving are his wife of 72 years, Edna Lawrence Ellis of the home; two daughters and sons-in-law, Lee Ann and Billy Collins of Stuart and Sharon and John Coleman of Monroe, NC; three grandchildren and their spouses, Kevin and Renee Collins of Stuart, Amy and Jason Fix of Stuart and Matthew and Monica Coleman of New York; and four great-grandchildren, Austin Collins, Makayla Fix, Alexander Coleman and William Coleman.
Funeral services for Mr. Ellis will be held Friday, Feb. 5, 2010 at 2:00 PM at Moody Funeral Home in Stuart with Rev. Ed Hartman and Elder LaRay Smith. Burial will follow in the Pleasant Grove Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends Thursday night from 6 to 8 at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Pleasant Grove Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, c/o LaRay Smith, 154 Dominion Valley Road, Stuart, VA 24171 or to the Moorefield Store Vol. Fire Department, c/o Norman Grogan, 1716 Virginia-North Carolina Road, Spencer, VA 24165.