Patricia Doreen (Whitaker) Ellis

MORGANTOWN

Patricia Doreen (Whitaker) Ellis, 90, passed away peacefully on Friday morning, April 28, 2017, at the Indiana Masonic Home in Franklin. She was a resident of Morgantown.

Doreen was born Aug. 16, 1926, in Morgantown, to the late Charlie and Garnet J. (Knight) Whitaker. She was a 1943 graduate of Morgantown High School. Doreen married Richard “Dick” Ellis on Oct. 6, 1951, in Madison. He preceded her in death on March 13, 1981, after 29 loving years of marriage.

Doreen retired in 1993 from the King Cole Restaurant in downtown Indianapolis where she began as a waitress and retired as the assistant manager after 50 years of service. She was a member of the Midway Separate Baptist Church in Brown County since 1951, where she held the past offices of secretary and treasurer.

Doreen also was a member of the Morgantown Eastern Star and the Morgantown Senior Center. She enjoyed crocheting, playing euchre, bingo and square dancing. Doreen also enjoyed traveling and working crossword and word search puzzles.

Doreen is survived by her son, Larry (Sara) Johnston of Morgantown; brother, Judson Whitaker of West Palm Beach, Florida; grandchildren, Leah (Kevin) Haase of Morgantown, and Chris (Holly) Johnston and Amy (Matt) Hess, both of Franklin; six great-grandchildren, Michael Haase of California, Carrie (Jackson) Umbarger of Bargersville, Levi and Logan Hess, Dane and Delaney Johnston, all of Franklin; great-great grandchildren, Carson, Kyndal and Cooper Umbarger, all of Bargersville.

She was preceded in death by siblings, Regina Cooper, Kathleen Whitaker, Larry, Clifford “Giz” and Denny Whitaker.

The Rev. Ed Tharpe will conduct a graveside service at 11 a.m. Monday at East Hill Cemetery in Morgantown.

Funeral services have been entrusted to Meredith-Clark Funeral Home Cremation & Personalization Center in Morgantown.

Memorial contributions may be sent in honor of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be made to the Johnston–Ellis family at www.meredith-clark.com. Information: (812) 597-4670