Obituary of Richard S. Ellis

Richard Stetson Ellis, Master Electrician, died in his sleep at home on June 2, 2010. He was 84. Son of the late Leslie C. Ellis and the late Ruth S. (Bryant) Ellis, Mr. Ellis was born in Braintree and raised in Rockland. A member of the Rockland High School Class of 1944, Mr. Ellis left school before graduation to enlist in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He served in the Pacific as a signalman on the USS LCI(L)-969. Upon his return from the war, Mr. Ellis worked at Arnold’s Machine Shop on Liberty Street in Rockland. He ran a side business from home, refinishing antique furniture. He attended classes at Wentworth Institute in Boston. He met and married Barbara M. (Atkinson) Ellis of Rockland in the late 1940’s. They designed and built a house on Washington Street in Pembroke and settled there in the early 1950’s. They raised two daughters, Linda and Jane. It was during this time that Mr. Ellis started his electrical contracting business. When his marriage ended in divorce in 1977, Mr. Ellis moved to Duxbury. He continued in the electrical trade, operating out of his home on Church Street. Famous for the quality of his work, he was still working at the time of his death, doing smaller jobs and repairing lamps while referring larger jobs to his grandson, also a Master Electrician. Mr. Ellis was in business for himself for sixty years. Mr. Ellis was known by all as a hard-working man who was always busy and on the go. He was frugal and sensible, choosing to fix things when they broke instead of buying new. He could make anything and enjoyed being presented with design challenges, which he would conquer in ingenious ways. He was a regular at the Duxbury Transfer Station’s Take It or Leave It area, also known as the “Duxbury Mall.” Using his finds and his imaginative nature, he created a whimsical environment in his back yard, showcasing his collection of round rocks and ornamental granite. He is survived by his daughters, Linda M. Ellis of Rockland and Jane Ellis of Duxbury; a grandson, Christopher J. Ellis of Pembroke; and two great- grandchildren, Kingston E. and Lucia M. Ellis of Pembroke. Friends and family are invited to a memorial service on Wednesday, June 23, 2010, at 7:00 PM at First Church in Pembroke, 105 Center Street, Pembroke, MA. Burial at Marshfield Hills Cemetery will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Richard S. Ellis Scholarship Fund, South Shore Vocational Technical High School, 476 Webster Street, Hanover MA 02339.