Verne Wesley Ellis

Verne Wesley Ellis, 92, of Paducah, KY, formerly of Paragould, died Saturday, August 13, 2011, at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, KY. He was born March 8, 1919 in Greenleaf, Wisconsin to the late Bertha Russell Dishneau and Walter Eldridge Ellis. He was also preceded in death by his son-in-law, Allen Boren and siblings, Natalie, Russell and Muriel. He was a retired welder, retired security guard, involved in DAV and VFW, enjoyed woodworking and his family. He was a member of Twelve Oaks Baptist Church in Paducah and was a member of First Freewill Baptist Church when he lived in Paragould. Mr. Ellis served his country during World War II in the Army as a member of the 32nd Red Arrow Division, serving in both the Papuan Campaign and the New Guinea Campaign. He was injured in Buna, New Guinea and earned the Asiatic Pacific Theater Medal with two bronze stars, Combat Infantry Badge, Distinguished Unit Badge, a Purple Heart , and Bronze Star. He is survived by the mother of their children: Verna Merle Sanders of Paragould; his children and their spouses: Mary Boren of Paragould, Walter Frank and Sudjai Ellis of Jonesboro, Robert and Allison Ellis of Long Beach, Mississippi, Gary Ellis of Paragould and Cheryl and Mark Fields of Paducah, Kentucky; sister: Shirley Fuller of Sussex, Wisconsin; 13 grandchildren, 33 great grandchildren; and eleven great great grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, Tuesday, at Heath Funeral Home. His life will be celebrated at Heath Funeral Home at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, Rev. Paul Bean officiating. Interment will be at Linwood Cemetery with military honors. Memorials may be made to the DAV Memorial Program, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301 To sign online register, please visit www.heathfuneralhome.com