Juanita Davidson Ellis' Obituary
Juanita Davidson Ellis, age 97 of Fort Myers, Florida passed away on Sunday, December 7, 2014. Juanita was born in Elgin, Tennessee on June 6, 1917, and was the daughter of Andrew and Savannah Davidson. Her husband Casto W. Ellis, her son David C. Ellis, her father and mother, five brothers and four sisters preceded her in death. She is survived by son Dr. Richard A. Ellis and wife Sharon (Fort Myers, Florida), Daughter-in-law Patricia Ellis (Knoxville, Tennessee), Grandson’s Christopher (wife Becky) and Kevin Ellis, and Great Grandson’s Carter Ellis and Owen Ballantine of Fort Myers, Florida and many other nieces and nephews. Juanita was a member of the Rugby Road Methodist Church in Elgin, Tennessee, Central United Methodist Church in Fort Myers, Florida and the First United Methodist Church in Oak Ridge Tennessee. She graduated from Tennessee Technological University in 1954 with a degree in Elementary Education and received a degree in Administration and Supervision from George Peabody College for Teachers in 1961. Juanita and her family moved to Fort Myers, Florida in 1954 where she was involved in the education field for many years. She taught Elementary School at Gwynne Institute in Fort Myers for 2 years after which she transferred to the Lee County School Board central staff offices where she worked in various capacities for 23 years. While on the central staff she served as a Remedial Reading Teacher, Elementary School Supervisor and then served as the Director of Elementary Education overseeing the 26 Elementary schools in Lee County Florida for 16 years. Juanita retired from the Lee County School System in 1979 but continued to be involved in the field of education. She served as an Associate Professor of Education at the University of South Florida overseeing student teaching activities for 6 years. Due to her husband‘s health she retired completely in 1985 to enable her to spend more time with husband, family and friends. Juanita was a member of the Lee County and Florida Retired Educators Association and the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, she also received the Educator of the Year Award while serving as the Director of Elementary Education in Lee County. Juanita Davidson Ellis, age 97 of Fort Myers, Florida passed away on Sunday, December 7, 2014. Juanita was born in Elgin, Tennessee on June 6, 1917, and was the daughter of Andrew and Savannah Davidson. Her husband Casto W. Ellis, her son David C. Ellis, her father and mother, five brothers and four sisters preceded her in death. She is survived by son Dr. Richard A. Ellis and wife Sharon (Fort Myers, Florida), Daughter-in-law Patricia Ellis (Knoxville, Tennessee), Grandson’s Christopher (wife Becky) and Kevin Ellis, and Great Grandson’s Carter Ellis and Owen Ballantine of Fort Myers, Florida and many other nieces and nephews. Juanita was a member of the Rugby Road Methodist Church in Elgin, Tennessee, Central United Methodist Church in Fort Myers, Florida and the First United Methodist Church in Oak Ridge Tennessee. She graduated from Tennessee Technological University in 1954 with a degree in Elementary Education and received a degree in Administration and Supervision from George Peabody College for Teachers in 1961. Juanita and her family moved to Fort Myers, Florida in 1954 where she was involved in the education field for many years. She taught Elementary School at Gwynne Institute in Fort Myers for 2 years after which she transferred to the Lee County School Board central staff offices where she worked in various capacities for 23 years. While on the central staff she served as a Remedial Reading Teacher, Elementary School Supervisor and then served as the Director of Elementary Education overseeing the 26 Elementary schools in Lee County Florida for 16 years. Juanita retired from the Lee County School System in 1979 but continued to be involved in the field of education. She served as an Associate Professor of Education at the University of South Florida overseeing student teaching activities for 6 years. Due to her husband‘s health she retired completely in 1985 to enable her to spend more time with husband, family and friends. Juanita was a member of the Lee County and Florida Retired Educators Association and the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, she also received the Educator of the Year Award while serving as the Director of Elementary Education in Lee County. Graveside services will be held at Crossroads Cemetery, Robbins, Tennessee by West Murley Funeral Home of Oneida, Tennessee. A local memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, December 12, 2014 at Crossroads Baptist Church, 10721 Palm Beach Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33905. Local funeral arrangements are under the direction of Fort Myers Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, 1589 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33907, 239-936-0555. Online condolences may be made at: www.fortmyersmemorial.com.
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