Jean Ellis

Emma Jean (Bates) Ellis was born April 8, 1922, to Virgil and Mintha (Reed) Bates in Peace Valley, Arkansas, and passed away on March 11, 2023, at Autumn Oaks Care Center in Mountain Grove, Missouri. She was 100 years, 11 months, and 3 days of age.

Jean grew up in Peace Valley and Cedar Gap, Arkansas. She married Roy Ellis on December 28, 1947, in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Their marriage was blessed with two sons, Jesse and Lee, and one daughter, Pat.

Jean was a devoted wife, loving mother, and exemplary homemaker and cook. She was a homemaker and farmed with her husband, Roy. She was also a member of Friendship Baptist Church. In her spare time, Jean enjoyed doing crafts, sewing, crocheting, working in her flower and vegetable gardens, and cooking for her family and friends.

Besides her parents, Jean was preceded in death by her husband, Roy, two brothers, Lee and Jesse Bates, one sister, Hazel Walters, and one grandchild, Christy Ellis.

She is survived by two sons, Jesse Ellis and his wife, Linda, of Hollister, Missouri, and Lee Ellis and his wife, Ruth, of Springfield, Missouri, one daughter, Pat Smyer and her husband, Ron, of Bendavis, Missouri, one brother, Bob Bates and his wife, Betty, of Hot Springs, Arkansas, five grandchildren, Tonya Hardy, Bob Smyer, Steve Smyer, Jabon Ellis, and Nathan Ellis, six great-grandchildren, four great-great-grandchildren, and many other relatives and friends.