Dec. 16, 1923 – March 11, 2007

The Rev. William Robert Ellis, of Bend, died Sunday of cancer. He was 83.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Trinity Episcopal Church in Bend.

The Rev. Ellis was born Dec. 16, 1923, in Portland to James and Anne (Hulterantz) Ellis. He graduated from Commerce High School in Portland in 1941. He attended Modesto Junior College and graduated from the University of Oregon, where he studied English. He also graduated from Church Divinity School of the Pacific. He married Nancy Barnett on June 11, 1951, in Portland.

The Rev. Ellis served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. From 1952 to 1967, he worked in various positions, including parish work and college chaplaincy. In 1968, he became the rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Ashland, where he served until 1980. He then worked in the chaplaincy program at the Rogue Valley Medical Center in Medford. He retired in 1988. He was affiliated with Habitat for Humanity. He enjoyed woodworking, golf, reading and spending time with family. He moved to Bend in 1992.

Survivors include his wife; a son, William, of Spokane, Wash.; two daughters, Wendy Seems, of Bend, and Beth Cirzan, of Tucson, Ariz.; a brother, James, of Portola Valley, Calif.; six grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Episcopal Church in Bend or HospiceCenter.