Rev. Dr. William C. Ellis

A great man of God, Rev. Dr. William C. Ellis, received his Heavenly reward Wednesday, October 10, 2018. Bill, as he was known to family and friends, spent his early years in the Cabin Creek area of WV and attended the community United Methodist church located in Dacota, WV. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Goldie Perry Ellis, who owned and operated the first Dairy Queen in Teays Valley; as well as his sister, Marie Ellis. He was a graduate of Hurricane High School. Bill began preaching as a teenager whenever and wherever he was asked and was ordained in the Church of God at 16 years of age. A selfless student at Anderson University, he raised funds to assist college students financially when those students were unable to fulfill that obligation, often times sacrificing himself. He was eventually rewarded with his Doctorate of Divinity from Anderson’s School of Theology. He and Kitty met in Springfield, OH while he was preaching a revival. Following a 2 year courtship, sometimes by mail and short visits at the train station or airport due to his travels to share God’s word, he and Kitty were married June 4, 1955. Upon his completion of seminary at Anderson University and prior to the birth of their children, Bill and Kitty evangelists throughout the United States and as a preaching and singing team. They strove to uplift fellow Christians and win souls to Christ. They also traveled as missionaries to many Caribbean islands. In 1964 Bill became pastor of Peoples Church of God, Decatur, IL and served this church for 25 years. He directed youth camps most every summer. A scholarship was established, the Bill and Kitty Ellis Scholarship Fund, to assist students from Macon county, IL in their attendance at Anderson University as a continuation of his earlier passion to help college students. While living for a time in Anderson, he was associated with the promotional department of the Christians Broadcasting Hope (CBH) station. His motto, “The sun never sets on our missions” allowed for the Word of God to be preached and presented to millions of people throughout the world. Through this work, he has traveled five continents and preached worldwide. In 1989, he and Kitty came back home to West Virginia where they continued in God’s work through The Teays Valley Church of God. He has served as the state pastor of the Churches of God in WV. His final pastorates included congregations in Oceana, Smithers and Princeton, and he continued to preach in any and all churches he was asked. A talented writer and author, he contributed regularly to the Putnam Herald for a number of years, and as a syndicated columnist, his works were published worldwide sharing his faith and distinctive knowledge and humor with his readers. Bill was also a charter Putnam County Rotarian and is a Paul Harris Fellow. Surviving are his wife of 63 years, Kathleen “Kitty” Ellis; daughter, Elizabeth Archer (Steve) of Alabama; son, Mark Ellis (Hannah) of Charleston; grandchildren, Stephanie Archer, Emily Hubbard (Tim), Megan Allen (Justin), John Archer, Brody Denney and Samuel Ellis; great-grandchildren, Lillie and Carson Hubbard; brother, Eldridge “Whitey” Ellis (Pat) of Florida and favorite nephew, Dennis. A celebration of his life will be held at 11am Monday, October 15, 2018 at Teays Valley Church of God, 185 Connection Point, Scott Depot which is just east of Rocky Step off Teays Valley Road with Rev. Dr. Melissa Pratt as well as other ministerial colleagues. Burial will follow in the family plot at Mount Vernon Cemetery, Hurricane. Visitation will be held from 5-7pm Sunday at Chapman Funeral Home, Hurricane. You may also visit his tribute page at ChapmanFuneralHomes.com to share your memories of Bill with the family. Memorial contributions may be made in his honor to either Hospice Care, 1606 Kanawha Blvd., W., Charleston, WV 25387 or to the building fund of Teays Valley Church of God, PO Box 270, Scott Depot, WV 25560. Chapman Funeral Home, family-owned and located at 3941 Teays Valley Road, Hurricane is honored to serve the Ellis family.