Carl Willis Ely

Born June 25, 1925 in Cloverdale, Oregon in a saw mill office To Loene Kyle and Willis Ely. He was raised in Sweet Home, Oregon along with his sisters Dorothy Ely (Stover) and Betty Ely, he went to grade school and high school in Sweet Home, Oregon Met Mary Lee Wood in his 4th grade (she was in the 2nd grade) He told his best friend. "I am going to marry her when I grow up"

His mother moved to Shelton, Washington before he was out of high school so he followed. He joined the Navy there in 1942 and was then in World War II in the Pacific Theater, Japan, Solomon Islands, Samoa and many other island on board the USS as a Quartermaster and Deep Sea diver

When he came home on leave in 1944 he visited his sister Betty in Albany, Oregon who lived in a woman's boarding house. One morning Mary Lee Wood (who also was boarding there) came down the stairs for breakfast and they both couldn't believe it. It didn't take long and they were married on April 13, 1944.

After he got out of the Navy they moved around Oregon for awhile but could not find a good job so they moved to Redondo Beach, CA. In August 1946 Donna Lee Ely was born Things didn't work in California so they went back to Oregon where Kathy Ann Ely was born in May 1948. Things didn't work out so they went back to California where he got a job at Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach, CA moved to a small house in Hawaiian Gardens and life changed for all of them. They bought their 1st home in Anaheim, CA and the surban family settled in.

He became a minister in 1967 and studied the Bible from front to back and could "quote" every verse.

Donna and Kathy grew up, married and had their own families.Carl and Mary Lee then became "empty nesters". They did a lot of gold panning, camping and shooting ( they loved to shoot guns). He loved talking about his World War II experiences. They moved to Apache Junction, AZ in 1976 and have been there ever since. They have been married for 68- 1/2 years and are always with each other 24/7, he dearly loved Mary Lee

Carl passed away on November 6, 2012 at 1:07 am

He leaves behind his wife Mary Lee Wood Ely, 2 daughters Donna Lee Money ( husband Donnie money) and Kathy Ann Brown ( husband Dennis Brown), 7 grandchildren. Don Carl Money ( wife Frances), Devin Money (wife Jeannie), Michael Sheldon ( wife Ailisa), Daren Money (wife Angie), Debbie Money Ramey ( husband Tony), Molly Forstall ( husband Scott) , Matt Brown ( wife Dana Senge), 16 great- grandchildren and

1 great-great grandchild

Husband, Father, Gramps, Grandpa, Papa, We Miss You !