Phyllis Simerly Ellis, 79, of High Point, N.C., passed away peacefully due to complications of Alzheimer’s disease on Sunday, September 6, 2015, at Hospice of the Piedmont in High Point.
Mrs. Ellis was born on September 10, 1935 in Banner Elk, N.C., to the late William “Bill” Simerly and Alice (Graybeal) Simerly.
Mrs. Ellis graduated from Cloudland High School in 1953. She received her bachelor’s degree in education from East Tennessee State University in 1957 and later earned her master’s degree in education. She married her high school sweetheart, Mark Ellis, on December 26, 1956 in Roan Mountain, Tenn., and lived with him in High Point for over 40 years. She dedicated 40 years to teaching elementary school children before retiring in 1997.
Throughout her life she enjoyed teaching, traveling, collecting antiques, attending auctions and spending time at the family cabin in the mountains.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Mark Ellis, who passed away on June 12, 2014.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Suzanne and David Mikkelson of High Point, N.C.; daughter and son-in-law, Jennifer and Keith Huff of Kernersville, N.C.; four grandsons (who knew her affectionately as “Mimi”); one great-grandson; and one sister, Clarene Kerley of Elizabethton, Tenn.
The funeral service for Phyllis Simerly Ellis will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday, September 12, in the Chapel of Peace at Tetrick Funeral Home in Elizabethton, Tenn., with Rev. John Vernon and Rev. David P. Mikkelson officiating. The receiving of family and friends will be from 1 until 2 p.m. in the funeral home chapel, prior to the service. Interment will follow at Happy Valley Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Keith Huff, Benjamin Mikkelson, Jonathan Mikkelson, Daniel Mikkelson, Steve Kerley and Scott Davis. In lieu of flowers, the family would like to request that donations be made in Mrs. Ellis’ memory to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (http://www.alzfdn.org/ContributetoAFA/makeadonation.html) or a hospice facility of the donor’s choice. The family is deeply grateful for the tender, compassionate care that was given to Mrs. Ellis over the past year by the memory care staff at Westchester Harbour in High Point and Hospice of the Piedmont. Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.tetrickfuneralhome.com and signing the guest book or by fax (423) 542-9499.
Tetrick Funeral Home, 211 North Riverside Drive, Elizabethton, Tenn. 37643, is serving the Ellis family. Office: (423) 542-2232. Obituary Line: (423) 543-4917.