Kenneth Ellis

Kenneth D. Ellis, 78, of Cape Girardeau passed away Wednesday, May 16, 2018, at Saint Francis Medical Center.

He was born Sept. 6, 1939, in Bernie, Missouri, the son of Ember and Chloe Ross Ellis. He and Patsy Fields were married Aug. 31, 1957, in Marks, Mississippi. She passed away Oct. 28, 2017.

Kenneth owned and operated Darek Machine Shop in Advance, Missouri, for 10 years. He attended La Croix United Methodist Church. He was a Boy Scout leader when the family lived in Chicago and joined the Masons after moving to Advance. Kenneth was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

Loving survivors include a son, Darren (Rhonda) Ellis of Cape Girardeau; a daughter Gwen (Elsworth) Schieffer of Cape Girardeau; and nine grandchildren, Stephanie Danger, Rachel Penny, Dennis and Jason Schieffer, Gavin, Alexandra and Andrew Ellis and Trevor and Christin Heisserer. Also surviving are two sisters, Jewel Beaird of Sikeston, Missouri, and Bonnie Pyle of Dexter, Missouri.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Patsy Ellis; a son, Andrew Dale "Tony" Ellis; brothers, James, Charles and Edward Ellis; and sisters, Wilma Knight and Evelyn Freeman.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at McCombs Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

Funeral will be Friday at 10 a.m. at the funeral home, with the Rev. Namon Eaker officiating. Interment will follow in Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Fruitland.

Memorials may take the form of contributions to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or Ronald McDonald House.

On-line condolence messages may be sent to the family by visiting www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.