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1929 Newton 2020

Newton Ellis

November 18, 1929 — March 29, 2020

Newton Mac Ellis, beloved husband, father and grandfather, passed away peacefully in his home on March 29, 2020 at the age of 90.

His was a life well lived and guided always by the love of his family, friends and Christian faith.

Born on November 18, 1929 in Roswell, NM, Mac was the third child of Benjamin Franklin Ellis and Mellie Leona Patterson.

Benjamin, known as "Jack", was born in Oklahoma, later establishing a homestead in the Vaughn, NM area where he met Mac's mother Leona, a native Texan.

Leona had taken a job as one of the "Harvey Girls" in the Harvey House located in the Vaughn train depot where Jack stopped in for meals.

Mac attended schools in Roswell and in Sept.1950 enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. He served as a Staff Sargent until Sept.1953 at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX.
Upon discharge he and his then wife Pomona (Hallenbeck) returned to Roswell where he began his thirty year career with the U.S. Postal Service.

As a Postal Inspector, his domicles included the Galveston, Abilene and Austin regions. As he neared retirement he bought a "farm" in Niederwald, TX eventually moving an old army barracks onto the property.
Using his carpentry skills, he repurposed the hollowed out building into his new home.

In 1983, a year Mac described as "a very happy and eventful year", he and Frances (Schrader)  were married and he "gave up living on the farm".

Mac and Fran built a home in the pines of Bastrop, TX and became members of The Bastrop Christian Church where Mac served as a Deacon.
In 2003, Mac and Fran created twelve beautiful stained glass panels to hang in the church's new Fellowship Hall. Mac and Fran celebrated their 37th anniversary on March 5, 2020.

Mac served as President of the Circle D Civic Association while moving forward the plans to build the first fire station to serve that neighborhood.
Mac and Fran's shared hobbies included gardening, travel, stained glass, geneology and of course rockhounding.
Mac was a life long RockHound and loved nothing better than a good old field trip to some remote patch of land to look for rocks, whether it be arrowheads, agates or crystals.
He was a proud member of the Monday Flintknappers that faithfully meet in Jewell Pollard's pavillion. Mac and Fran found many friends among the Austin Gem and Mineral Society, where Mac served as the Show Chairman for several years.
His extraordinary flintknapping and lapidary skills found him teaching workshops at Mo-Ranch Christian Conference Center, doing demos at Yesterfest and most anywhere else he was asked!
Always up for any project, Mac would load up tools and join his good friend Bobby Woehl as they set out on a mission...always to help someone else.

Mac was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Waneta Russell and brother Frank Ellis.

He is survived by his wife Fran Ellis and three daughters; Cheryl Ellis & husband Rizk Ikhrais, Cynthia Ellis & husband Richard Ralph, and Catherine Pellizzari & husband Trey Pellizzari; grandchildren Clyde Sheble, Christopher Timmons (Jessie), Benjamin Ralph (Kim) & Hollis Ralph.
His extended family includes Fran's three children; Sara Beard & husband Tim, Jane Becker & husband Dennis, Dale Heintze & wife Melissa; grandchildren John, Jason, Nicki, Bubba and Kristi as well as several great grandchildren.

The family wishes to extend their gratitude to all the friends that encircled Mac with love and personal visits.

A memorial celebration will be at a later date.

Memorial gifts may be made to Hospice Austin or Bastrop Christian Church.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Newton Ellis, please visit our flower store.

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