|
Clara Denson Ellis put her hand into that of the Father's and went on her Journey Home, Friday, July 2, 1999. Born in Granger, Texas, October 20, 1909, to Myrtle Jewel and Jesse Bostick Denson, Clara had six siblings. Her lifetime spanned travel in a covered wagon (for a family vacation) to visiting her children by jet plane. Clara always had a wry sense of humor. She claimed to have gone to the CIA, before it was a government agency. Actually, after graduating from Granger High School, Clara attended the College of Industrial Arts (CIA) in Denton, Texas. After her studies, she substituted teaching in Granger for two years. The family then moved to Edinburgh, Texas in 1930, where she began her full-time teaching career. The Denson family attended the Methodist Church and Clara was a member of the choir. A tall, good-looking man, with a witty sense of humor and a rich baritone voice, named Gordon Ellis, was caught tweaking her hair from behind. As a woman of virtue, she refused to be taken in by his bold attempt at introduction. He, it has been said, told a friend in the choir that he was going to marry that pretty young woman with the beautiful blue/black hair. The court-ship was a bit one-sided at first. Without a proper introduction, Clara avoided his attempts at conversation. Her heart began to melt, however, when she would look up from her desk in a room full of first graders and see that persistent young man standing at her doorway, hat in hand. The proper introductions took place, the court-ship moved forward and Clara and Gordon were married in 1934. They moved to 1420 Dunlap in Mission, Texas, which was Clara's home for the next 53 years. During the Depression of the 1930's, married women were obliged to give up their jobs to men. No longer able to teach, Clara was a traditional homemaker. Gordon was a Rural Letter Carrier. Late in the 1930's, Gordon contracted typhus, a life-threatening disease. Unable to carry the mail, Clara and Gordon were faced with the prospect of his losing his mail route. As a woman always ahead of her time, and never afraid of hard work, Clara donned the uniform of the Rural Letter Carrier, hoisted the fifty pound leather mail sack, and carried his route. As the first female Letter Carrier in Mission, Texas, her picture appeared on the front page of the Mission Times. In January of 1941, their first child, James Norman Ellis was born. Nine years later, their second child, Donald Eugene Ellis arrived. Clara returned to teaching and retired after thirty years in elementary school. Becoming a widow in 1977, Clara was able to maintain her home in Mission, Texas, until 1989. At that time she moved"up north" to Temple, Texas, where her sisters Carrie and Judy lived. It wasn't until 1991 that her son, James, was able to convince her to move closer to him, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Clara was a proud Texan, born in Texas, raised in Texas, married in Texas, lived in Texas all her life...she finally agreed to move to"West Texas" (Albuquerque), to be near family. Clara was an original tenant at Grand Court Retirement Center (then called Valencia Retirement Center) since April of 1991. The official disk jockey at Grand Court, Clara's Music was a part of every Saturday night. She played selections from a multitude of audio tapes. She had many, many friends whom she grew to love. In addition to the residents, Clara was"adopted" by several members of the staff, who became her surrogate children, most particularly, Terry Campbell and Adela Aragon. Clara is greatly missed and survived by her sons, James and his wife, Kathy of Albuquerque, Don and his wife, J.J. of St. Louis, Missouri; grandchildren, David Ellis of Decorah, Iowa, Jean (and husband, Pat) Aylward of Tampa, Florida, Jim (and wife, Lois) Ellis of Las Vegas, Nevada, Susie Smietanski of Dallas, Texas, Jennifer (and husband, Sam) Warnock of Seattle, Washington, Anjel Montoya of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Joshua (and wife, Maree) Montoya of Pueblo, Colorado and Alicia Montoya of Seattle, Washington; and her sisters, Judy Davis and Carrie Denson of Temple, Texas. Clara's legacy is the love and joy she leaves in our memories. A memorial service, to share our memories and draw strength from each other, will be held at Grand Court, 300 Valencia Drive, S.E. Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday, July 10, 1999 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any donations be sent in Clara's name to: Mariah House Shelter Care, 5004 Mariah NW, 87120 or Calvary Chapel, 4001 Osuna Road NE 87109.
|
