Obituary: Maurice "Maurie" Ellis - Class of 1953

WAUNAKEE - Maurice "Maurie" Ellis, age 79, died at home on Monday, April 7, 2014, after a courageous, two year battle with colon cancer.

Born on April 4, 1935, to Wayne and Eunice (Rasmussen) Ellis, Maurie spent his early years in the Brooklyn, Wis., area, moving to Madison in 1949. Maurie attended Central High School and graduated from UW-Stout in 1957. He served in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1959. On Dec. 28, 1957, Maurie married his college sweetheart, Mary Katherine "Kay" Kennedy, at St. Aloysius Church in Sauk City. Maurie and Kay started Ellis True Value Hardware Store, in the Westmoreland area of Madison, in 1961 and operated the business until 1990. Maurie then worked at Ace Hardware on Willie Street until retirement.

Maurie's retirement years were just as active as his career days until his illness forced him to slow down. He was always looking for a way to be of service to others and to help those around him. Maurie volunteered at Habitat for Humanity's Restore and with the Red Cross for 15 years, delivering donated blood and helping with disaster relief during hurricanes in Florida and Mississippi and tornados in Wisconsin. He was a member of the Devil's Head Ski Patrol for over 30 years, where he recently received a Distinguished Service Award from the National Ski Patrol for his many hours of community involvement. This award meant the world to Maurie and the timing of its presentation on Jan. 26, 2014, could not have been better.

Many people may know Maurie as the "Tool Man" as he was both a trader and restorer of fine hand tools. Every spring, collectors would follow the signs to Maurie's annual tool sale in Waunakee for tool bargains and tool-talk. Maurie could talk tools or skiing all day and made wonderful friends through his many interests. Maurie and Kay enjoyed years of camping, travel, and celebrations with their family of close friends, Fred and Marge, Pat and George, Ted and Sande, Dick and Shirley, Marty and Larry, and Joanne and Charlie. This close-knit group has dropped a stitch and will forever feel the hole left by Maurie's smile and quick wit.

Maurie is survived by his wife, Kay; daughter, Patti Ellis (Hugh Miller); son, Tim (Lynne); granddaughters, Kristi (Travis) Brown and Abby Ellis; sister, Betty Cerniglia; and sister-in-law, Jackie Murphy. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Robert; and brother-in-law, Matt Murphy.

Maurie was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and a joy to his many friends and colleagues. He will be deeply missed. The family would like to thank the staff at Dean Oncology and Agrace HospiceCare for their excellent care and compassion.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be on Thursday, April 10, 2014, at 11 a.m. at ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CATHOLIC CHURCH, 209 South St., Waunakee. A visitation will be held at church from 10 a.m. until the time of Mass.

 In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, or Agrace HospiceCare.

 Originally published in the Wisconsin State Journal on April 9, 2014. Submitted by Michael Vahldieck (Class of 1968) and Martha Soules Rortvedt (Class of 1965).

The class year for Maurie Ellis is based on information from a 1953 list of Central High School graduates published in the Wisconsin State Journal.