Ellis Thurm

Ellis Paul Thurm, 80, of New Wells died Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2010, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

He was born June 16, 1930, in Altenburg, Mo., son of Rudolph Benjamin and Hilda M. Wunderlich Thurm. He and Mary Janette Stacy, the mother of his daughters, were married March 5, 1954. She died May 31, 2005. Ellis married Sharon Diane Penrod on June 15, 1985.

Ellis served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War, serving stateside as an MP. He then served 30 years with the Missouri Army National Guard and served in Panama and Nicaragua. Ellis was of the Baptist faith.

Ellis was a mail carrier for the U.S. post office in Cape Girardeau for 32 years, retiring in 1990.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon, of New Wells; two daughters, Paula (Michael) Pruitt of Egypt Mills, Mo., Robin (William) Hahs of Sedgewickville, Mo.; a stepson, Matthew Erbacher of Jackson; three grandchildren, Christopher Thurm, Jamie Bowman, Hannah Hahs; four great-grandsons, Christopher and Caleb Bowman, Devon and Jace Thurm.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home in Jackson and from 2 p.m. to service time Sunday at New Bethel Baptist Church.

The funeral will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at the church, with the Rev. John Rhodes officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with full military honors.