Rev. Larry H. Ellis, CAPT, USN (Ret.), age 77, went home to be with Jesus on October 9, 2019. He was born on May 28, 1942, in Cleveland, TN, to Hoyt and Estelle Ellis. He married his soulmate Jan on April 4, 1965. He was the best father in the world to Neale, Matt, Mandy, and Charity.
Larry came from humble beginnings, the son of hardworking, Christian people from the mountains of Tennessee. Following Jesus was so important that he struggled with this decision to give his WHOLE life to Jesus until he was thirteen when he told the Lord he was willing to give up everything for Jesus. His faith was pure from the beginning and summed up in what he and Jan had inscribed in their wedding rings, “ALL FOR JESUS”.
His parents, Hoyt and Estelle, stressed education for their children. Larry honored his parents by studying hard, and with a gifted mind attended The University of Virginia on a National Merit Scholarship, earning a Bachelor of Arts in 1964. While in college the Lord called him to full-time ministry. He obeyed the Lord and was ordained as a minister at Deer Park Baptist Church in Louisville, KY. He attended Southern Baptist Theological Seminary from 1965-1968 and pastored Hempridge Baptist Church. He was endorsed by the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention in December 1967. In 1968, Larry received his Master of Divinity. In 1983, he received the Doctor of Ministry Degree from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC.
Larry felt God’s strong calling to be a military chaplain and was commissioned as a Navy Chaplain in 1968. His initial tour of duty was serving in the Vietnam War with Destroyer Division 52. From there he served as Chaplain at NAS Memphis (1970), Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (1972), NAS Atlanta (1975), Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington, DC (1977), and in 1980 was appointed Regimental Chaplain 4th Marine Regiment, Okinawa Japan. In 1982, Larry became the Senior Protestant Chaplain at the United States Naval Academy. He followed his tour in Annapolis as Command Chaplain, USS John F. Kennedy, CV67. From 1987 -1990, he served as Force Chaplain for the Chief of Naval Technical Training in Millington, TN. From 1990-91, he was Force Chaplain for Fleet Marine Forces Pacific, Honolulu HI. In 1991, Larry was honored to be selected as The Chaplain, United States Marine Corps and served in that role until 1995. His final tour before retiring from active duty in 1998 was as Command Chaplain Naval Support Activity Memphis.
Following retirement from the Navy, Larry served as Senior Pastor for three congregations. From 1998-2001, Larry pastored Blytheville Baptist Church in Blytheville, AR. In 2001, Larry and Jan moved to North Carolina where Larry served as the Pastor of the Village Chapel, Pinehurst, NC. In 2011, Larry was one of the founding Pastors of Trinity Christian Fellowship in Pinehurst, NC, serving there until he retired from full-time ministry. Larry and Jan moved to Heath, TX, in 2017, to be closer to family and there God faithfully provided a wonderful new church family in Transformation Anglican Church.
Larry was the recipient of three awards from the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge, including the George Washington Medal, the primary national award for excellence in public address. In 1980, his family was honored to receive the Military Family of the Year “In God We Trust” award by the Family Foundation of America. His military medals and decorations include: Legion of Merit (2 Awards), Meritorious Service Medal (3 Awards), National Defense Service Medal (2 Awards), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with palm.
Although Larry earned many accolades throughout his career of ministry, the overarching desire of his heart was to be a faithful servant to God, and to his wife and family. We can testify that we had the very best husband and father in the whole world! Larry felt the Joy of the Lord when he preached. Larry was filled with the Holy Spirit and treasured every opportunity to introduce people to Jesus. Nothing else mattered to Larry and Jan but sharing the love of Jesus with anyone and everyone whom God placed in their path.
Surviving are his wife of 54 years, Janet; children, Neale Ellis and wife Angela of Heath, TX, Matthew Ellis and wife Rhonda of Nashville, TN, Mandy Erwin and husband Derek of Flower Mound, TX, Charity Cash and husband Chaplain Carey Cash currently stationed with Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, and sister, Cheryal Korfmann and husband Vincent. He is also survived by 20 grandchildren whom they pray for daily: Alexandra, Matthew, Caleb, Abigail, Joshua, Justice, Amanda, Sarah, Phoebe, Nathanael, Ella, Hadassah, Maggie, Alaia, Xavier, Beatrice, Giorgia Mae, Analuisa, Eli, and Henry, who will miss their Pops dearly.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 12, 2019, at 2:00 pm at Transformation Anglican Church, 701 Kensington Drive, Rockwall, TX.
Fr. Bob Hackendorf and Fr. Don McLane will serve as Celebrants.
Any memorials should be given to Transformation Anglican Church.
