Dr. Edgar Heberton Ellis Jr.

COLUMBIA - A funeral service for Rev. Dr. Edgar H. Ellis Jr, 84, will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 28, 2020 at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, with burial in Fort Jackson National Cemetery. The family will receive friends immediately following the service until 11:30 a.m. All are invited to join a live-streaming of the service on Dunbar Funeral Home Devine’s Facebook page at 9:55 a.m.

Ed died Saturday, July 18, 2020. One of eight children, Ed was the son of Edgar Herberton Ellis and Grace Collins Ellis, born in Columbia on July 20 1935.

Ed was a United Methodist minister for 41 years in the South Carolina conference, serving churches in Laurel Bay Island (1967), Bethel Spartanburg as Associate Pastor & Youth Director (1968-71), Triune Greenville (1971-73), Simpsonville (1973-79), Woodland Rock Hill (1979-86), First Bennettsville (1986-89), Bethany Summerville (1989-93), and First Cayce (1993-98).

Ed graduated from Edmund's High School in Sumter in 1954, Spartanburg Methodist College in 1956 and St. Andrews University in 1965 with a B.A. He received his Master of Theology from Duke University in 1967 and his Doctorate in Ministries from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago in 1986.

Ed served in the Air Force from 1957 to 1958, running the tech library and achieved the rank of First lieutenant. He was active in his local communities, serving on the Board of Spartanburg Methodist College for 10 years, the governing board of Rotary International and as president of the Simpsonville Rotary Club. He was a board member and former chaplain of the Spartanburg Civitan Club and was awarded the Distinguished Service Award for contributions to the Civitan Handicapped workshop, which allowed physically and mentally handicapped to learn basic skills to grow towards self-sufficiency personally and financially.

Ed's love of roses lead him to not only grow award winning roses but to serve as President of the Greenville Rose Society, a member of the American Rose Society, where he served as a judge from 1974 to 1987 and to write a book, "Growing Roses can be Fun."

Dr. Ellis was awarded the SC Order of the Palmetto in 1992 by Governor Carol Campbell for his humanitarian work following the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo in Summerville. He also was honored by Spartanburg Methodist College for his many contributions, when in 2012 they named the first "Green" educational building in South Carolina, Ellis Hall, in his honor.

Ed was predeceased by his first wife of 40 years, in 1996, Iris Loraine Clardy, who he met at Spartanburg Methodist College and his daughter, Patricia Loraine Ellis, in 1999. Both of which succumbed to cancer. He was also predeceased by his sisters, Loretta Grace Ellis, Rose Marilyn Ellis and brothers, Leroy Frank Ellis, George Ellis, and Clarence Melton Ellis.

Dr. Ellis is survived by his wife, Dr. Charlotte Lindler Ellis, a retired pediatrician with Pediatric Associates in Columbia; brother-in-law, Claude Lindler; sister-in-law, Jeanne S. Lindler; sister, Marcia Jean Hanna (Jerry); brother, Hugh Benjamin Ellis; nephew, Jessen Lindler; nieces, Keller and Greta Lindler; and nieces and nephew in Canada, Kathleen Pratt, Rosemary Pratt and Jonathan Pratt.

Special thanks to caregiver Marvin Goodly, Dr. Brad Word and his nurse Teresa. Memorial donations may be made to Spartanburg Methodist College in the name of Dr. Edgar H Ellis or Shandon United Methodist Church, Devine Street in Columbia.

Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com.