Glen James Ellis Sr.

Glen spent his early years in Woods Cross and later moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he graduated from Granite High School. In the fall of 1951, Glen enrolled at the University of Utah. After one quarter at the University, Glen enlisted in the air branch of the United States Navy. Following boot camp, he was stationed at Hickam Air Force Base, Honolulu, Hawaii. VR8, the transport squadron to which Glen was attached, was assigned the task of supplying the troops during the Korean War. Upon discharge from the Navy, he resumed his studies at the University of Utah. In 1954 Glen met Lucille Thagard of Downey, California, while Lucie was vacationing in Hawaii with her family, and they married In the fall of 1956.

After graduation from the University of Utah, the couple, along with their two year old son, Glen, Jr., moved to Coyanosa, Texas, where Glen farmed cotton for a living. Other endeavors led to investing in the oil and gas business. In 1966 the family, who now had a young daughter, Dawn Belen, decided that the long days traveling on the school bus to Fort Stockton were too much for the children, so they built a home in Pecos, Texas. They remained in Pecos until the fall of 1983 whereupon they relocated to Midland. Midland was their home until Glen’s death. Glen, along with his son Glen, Jr., operated Ellis Petroleum, Inc. In addition, Glen continued to farm and, at various times, owned ranches in Texas, New Mexico, and Idaho.

During their sixty seven years of married life, Lucie was a friend, companion, and, most of all, a loving wife. They enjoyed traveling by car and motor home and traveled throughout almost all of the lower 48 states, and enjoyed numerous journeys to many other parts of the world. In their later years, their favorite mode of travel was by ship. Glen and Lucie enjoyed skiing and playing golf together well into their seventies.

Glen’s civic activities included six years on the Pecos City Council, eleven years on the Board of Directors of the Pecos Savings and Loan, and as a Board Member and President of the Pecos Valley Country Club. He was a Master Mason and served as Master of Grandfalls Masonic Lodge #895.

Glen was a lifelong sportsman who enjoyed skiing, golfing, fly fishing, and big game hunting in Africa. Some of his most memorable trips were with his grandson Glen Ellis III (Guy), first to the 2002 Winter Olympics and next to Botswana and South Africa. Glen owned and flew his own airplane until health problems forced him to give up flying.

Glen was preceded in death by his father Montague Ellis, mother Edna Ellis, a younger brother Vaughn Ellis, and his daughter in law Clare Tompson Ellis. His is survived by his wife Lucille Thagard Ellis, son Glen James Ellis, Jr., and Barbara Sledge, daughter Dawn Belen Ellis, of Dallas,Texas, sister Carma Frankos of Salt Lake City, Utah, grandson Glen James Ellis III, and his wife Whitney, granddaughter Allison Ellis Scarborough and her husband Houston, and granddaughters Annie Elias and Averi Elias, and great grandchildren Mary Clare Ellis, Ellis Scarborough, and Bud Scarborough.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, May 18, at 3:00 at Resthaven Memorial Park, and all are invited to join the family for a Celebration of Glen’s life at 4:00 at the Racquet Club of Midland. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Scottish Rite Hospital, 2222 Welborn Street, Dallas, Texas 75219, First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas, 800 W Texas Avenue, Midland, Texas 79701, or the charity of your choice.