Leroy Johnston Ellis III

He was born in New York City on October 3, 1928, the first child of Leroy “Roy” J. Ellis, Jr. and Dorothy Mitchell Ellis. Lee was raised in Leonia, NJ and attended The University of the South, (Sewanee) where is was President of Sigma Nu Fraternity. Lee Graduated From Columbia Law School in 1952 prior to serving in the U.S. Army.

While at Sewanee he met his first wife, Mary Littell Rust Ellis and began practicing law in Nashville, TN with her father, Littell J. Rust, in 1954. He practiced law in Nashville until his retirement in 2012. He was in private practice most of his career and served as general counsel for the Tennessee Department of Conservation from 1981-1988, helping draft legislation involving Environmental causes.

Lee was an academic and loved the law, and he was involved with many civic and community activities. He Taught “Conflict of Laws” at the Nashville School of Law from 1960 -1998, instructing many future attorneys and jurists, (using every minute of class time). In 1968 he was the founding president of Tennessee’s first chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union as a champion for civil rights. He was involved in the Nashville Junior Chamber of Commerce, was president of the League for the Hearing Impaired, president of Circle Players community theater, Member of the Board of Trustees at McKendree United Methodist Church, was active with the Room in the Inn for homeless, and conducted Bible Studies at Fire hall # 17.

Lee Ellis had a long and interesting life, he had a clear sense of right and wrong, but was slow to pass judgment. Lee had a wry sense of humor and was often seen driving his Citroen around Nashville. He enjoyed travel and took the family on many car trips as far west as the grand canyon, but most frequently to Leonia and Cedar Lake, New Jersey.

In 2011 he started a new chapter in life and married Cynthia Suzanne Glen. They enjoyed the past 8 years together, moving to Port St. Lucie, Florida in 2015 where he spent the final days of his life.

He is preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Littell Rust Ellis, brother, John Mitchell Ellis, (Elaine), and is survived by his wife, Cynthia Suzanne Ellis, sister, Mary Louise Sorenson, Sister-in-Law, Jackie Ellis, Cousin, Robert Y. Ellis, (Barbara), children: Dorothy Ann Ellis Johnson, (Jim), Mary Aline Dean, (Larry), Leroy Johnston Ellis, IV “Johnny”, (Lisa) grandchildren, Steven Dean, Phyllis Dean, Michael Dean, Leroy Johnston Ellis, V, Michael Dean, Matthew Dean, and Laura Jean Ellis, nieces and nephews, Hugh Henry, Margaret Rati, George Henry, Harold Henry, Roy A. Miles, III, Littell Rust Miles, John Randolph Miles, Lyn Miles Smith, Peter B. Ellis, Catherine “Kate” Ellis, Vivian Sorenson, Eugene Sorenson, Samantha Miller, and Jennifer Hirschl.

A gathering of friends and family will be held Friday December 13, from four o'clock to eight o'clock and Saturday December 14 noon to five o'clock with a celebration of life to be held at five o'clock in Woodlawn's Dignity Hall. Please Visit our online obituary at woodlawn-roesch-pattonfh.com