Sandra Lynn Ellis

Sandra Lynn Ellis fell asleep and unexpectedly woke up at heaven’s gate September 29, 2020 and in her sweet southern drawl most likely asked the first angel she saw “Hi honey, can I do anything for anybody?”

She was born in Amarillo, Texas on May 31, 1948 to J.L and Edna Pipes and soon thereafter moved to Ralls, TX and then Lubbock, TX where she was raised with her sister and two brothers and lived for almost all of her life. She was fondly known to her family and friends as Summer or Sandy but she especially loved being called Gama Summer by her two precious grandchildren, Lily and Tanner Ellis.

Her care and compassion for others began at an early age when she worked for the Lauf Clinic helping to take care of the newborn babies.

On April 30, 1965 she married Dee Ellis and they raised two children, Sandee and Chance. Her family and her faith meant everything to her and she loved going to church. She was a member of the Sunset Church of Christ.

She thrived the most when she could give unto others and be of help to those in need. She carried with her snack size bags of pecans she harvested from her yard and would gift them to anyone who showed her kindness. She loved deeply with her much-used heart and would be humbled and grateful for the beautiful tributes she has received from family, friends and people she had met only briefly.

She loved traveling to Oregon to visit her kids and grandkids. She collected vintage aprons and dresses, kitchen advertising, children's toys and books and would never pass up an estate sale. Thirteen was her favorite number and old country music made her swoon….especially Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves and Eddy Arnold. Fresh flowers were always throughout her home, she was most fond of gladiolus and sunflowers. Food was love and she fed anyone that was around. Her dreams and ambitions were reached when she became a wife, mom and Gama and she spent her life always working at anything she could do to make a living but she mostly cared about what she could do for the living.

Gradually, over the last few years she lost her sight but her blindness did not stop her from seeing the beauty in everything and everyone she encountered. Her only regret was that she missed holding pictures of her family, reading her bible and turning pages of books. Audible books were second best and she was thankful for the technology….we teased her as she would become anxious if she knew her phone or tablets were charged at less than 92 percent. Labor Day Weekend she spent vacation in Tucson, Arizona where she was able to relax swimming in the pool and attend her favorite grandson Tanner’s baseball tournament and take her favorite granddaughter, Lily shopping. She enjoyed this vacation so much that she had the entire family planning to return to Tucson for Thanksgiving and once home back in Lubbock had already flipped her calendar to November.

She rode out her last days looking forward to this trip, going on daily adventures and walks to the vegetable garden with her beloved Dee, shelling black eyed peas, making hand pies, talking to her friends and family on the phone and listening to her who-dunits and football on TV.

She believed and was committed to these words that were found written down and saved in her coin purse: “What I do for myself dies when I die. What I do for others lives on forever.”

To continue her legacy she leaves her husband; Dee; daughter, Sandee; son, Chance; daughter-in-law, Melissa; and grandkids, Lily and Tanner. In lieu of flowers her request would be that when you are blessed with more than enough; build a bigger table, share and pass kindness on.

Celebration of Life will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, October 8, 2020 at Resthaven’s Abbey Chapel.