John Lucian Ellis

Rev. John Lucian Ellis, of Twin Falls, Idaho passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his family on February 3, 2018 at the age of 82.

John was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on September 22, 1935 to parents Ernest L. and Marie C. Ellis.  He was the fourth child, joining Mary Elizabeth, Doris, and Ernest (Bill).

John married his high school sweetheart, Phyllis Chaney, in Mariemont, Ohio on August 10, 1957.  To this marriage were born Ann Elaine, John Bernie, and Nancy Lynn. John and Phyllis enjoyed over 60 years being happily married.

John was preceded in death by his parents, siblings, and his daughter, Ann Ellis-Stone.

John is survived by his wife Phyllis, his children Johnny (Robin Ruiz) Ellis, and Nancy (Paul) Bowman.  He also leaves his grandchildren Sydney Ellis, Matthew (Jolene) Bowman, and Ryan (Amanda Adamson) Bowman, and his great-grandchildren Abbi, Donovan, and McCauley.  John is also survived by his nephew Bob (Jackie) Smith.

John graduated from University of Redlands in 1957, and Berkeley Baptist Divinity School (now American Baptist Seminary of the West), in January 1961.  John was ordained as an American Baptist minister at First Baptist Church of Fresno, California on January 21, 1961.  He served as pastor of First Baptist Church in Huron, California, First Baptist Church in Exeter, California, Mayhew Community Baptist Church in Rancho Cordova, California, and Thornton Avenue Baptist Church in Fremont, California.  He then began serving as Big Sky Area Minister in May 1985, and then as Intermountain Area Minister in January 1993.  He retired in June 2003.  At the time of his death, he was an active member of First Baptist Church in Buhl, Idaho.

One of John’s earliest memories was of his mother reading Bible stories to him.  She never read any nursery rhymes.  She introduced him to Jesus at a very early age.  After he became a pastor, she told him that she had continuously and privately prayed that he would become a minister and was delighted when he made the decision himself.  As a teenager, Rev. Bernie Osterhouse became his mentor and verbally planted the seed to pursue a life in the ministry.

John’s first love (after Phyllis!) was flying.  He received his pilot’s license in 1973, and soon received his Certified Flight Instructor license.  His hobby was to teach others to fly.  He remarked that it was great that now he was getting PAID to fly!  He taught countless students over the years, many of them here in the Magic Valley.  He was a member of the Magic Valley Aero Club, and a member of the United Flying Octogenarians.  Several years ago, he granted a young man’s wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, by taking him on a flight.  In 2017 he took his last recreational flight, taking family members on one last flight around the Magic Valley.

John joined the Civil Air Patrol as a teenager, and at the time of his death, he had earned the rank of Major.  His last Civil Air Patrol flight was a search and rescue flight, where he was part of a team who spotted someone who was lost in a snowbank in the mountains and was later rescued because of their efforts.

On July 16, 1986, John donated a kidney to his daughter, Ann, which gave her the gift of four and a half years of life, free of dialysis.  We are forever grateful for giving us all this gift of more years with Ann.  From the time Dad learned that she needed a kidney, he knew that he would be the closest match, because he wanted to be.

John was always ready to tease, or to play a practical joke, with a twinkle in his eye.  He was a wonderful, loving husband, and an excellent Dad to his kids and Granddad to his grandkids.  We will miss him terribly, but we know that he is in his Heavenly Home, living with Jesus.  We are sure he was greeted with “Well done, good and faithful servant”, and we will see him again.

A viewing will be held in honor of John Friday, February 9, from 5-7 P.M. at Parke’s Magic Valley Funeral Home. A service for John will take place on Saturday, February 10, at 1 P.M.at Parke’s Magic Valley Funeral Home, 2551 Kimberly Rd. Twin Falls.

Those who wish may make memorial contributions in John's name to the American Baptist International Ministries, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA  19482-0851.