Roll Call Tribute
John Ellisor '85 September 21, 2017 8:31 AM updated: September 21, 2017 8:34 AM
Klein Funeral Home - Tomball obituary
1400 West Main
Tomball, Texas 77375
(281) 351-7233
John Clayton Ellisor
June 10, 1963 - September 17, 2017
John Clayton Ellisor, of Spring, TX, died peacefully in his home on Sunday, September 17th, 2017 after a heroic nine-year battle against cancer. At his side were his wife, his constant loving companion and caregiver throughout his struggle, and his two adoring daughters. He was 54 years old.
John is survived by his wife of twenty-four years, Connie Thomas Ellisor; daughters McLean Ellisor of Tuscaloosa, AL and Caroline Ellisor of Spring, TX; his mother Mary K. Ellisor of Dallas, TX; his brother Grover C. Ellisor III of Victoria, TX; sisters Kay Ellisor Hopkins and Patty Ellisor Sode, both of Dallas, TX; brothers-in-law Joe Hopkins and Peter Sode, both of Dallas, TX, Peyton Thomas Sr of Douthan, AL, and Bradford Rawlinson of Auburn, AL; sisters-in-law Jackie Barrett Ellisor of Dallas, TX and Elizabeth Thomas Rawlinson of Auburn, AL; six aunts and uncles, nine nieces and nephews, seven cousins, two great-nieces, five cats, two dogs, and many supportive dear friends too numerous to count. He was preceded in death by his father, Grover C. Ellisor Jr of Dallas, TX.
John was born or burst rather into his family’s lives on June 10th, 1963 in Dallas, TX. His parents and three older siblings knew he would be a force to be reckoned with as his outsized fun-loving personality and desire to be with people became apparent at an early age. As a boy, he demonstrated a talent for sports, playing football, baseball, and tennis and later taking up gymnastics in high school, where he earned All-American honors in the vault apparatus. His fellow students elected him to varsity cheerleader for his senior year at Highland Park High School after he impressed them with his tumbling and spirit skills. Along with his sports interests, John was a committed Boy Scout, earning the rank of Eagle with a bronze palm. As a Boy Scout, he traveled to the National Jamboree and the World Jamboree in Sweden and also completed a backpacking trek at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico with his father.
John graduated from Highland Park High School in Dallas, TX in 1981 and then attended Texas A&M University in College Station, TX where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Distribution. While a student, he was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity where he led a group of his fraternity brothers to a first-place finish in the 1985 Chi Omega Songfest competition, receiving a standing ovation after he performed his part. John like so many members of his family, became an ardent Aggie fan and attended many Aggie football games over the years. A prized gift presented to him during the last year of his illness was a football signed by every current member of the Texas A&M football team.
Professionally, John completed mud engineering training and worked for twenty-three years in the petroleum servicing industry, including holding positions as Mud Engineer and Engineering Manager at Spirit Fluids and National Oilwell Varco. His dedication and skills in his chosen career impressed his colleagues, many of whom became dear friends along the way. He did not allow the surgeries and treatments for his illness prevent him from fulfilling his professional responsibilities, evidence of his determination to provide for his beloved family.
John enjoyed hunting, fishing, golf, snow skiing, and traveling. As a young man a few years after college, he embarked upon a six-week backpacking trip across Europe with his fraternity brother Mark Hord, putting his scouting skills to good use. With his wife and daughters, he traveled to Disney World, Gulf Shores, Sint Maarten, Jackson Hole, Steamboat Springs, and other destinations, never letting a good beach or ski slope go to waste. John was also an astute student of military history, starting as a boy building World Wars I and II model airplanes. He read numerous books about the Civil War and World Wars I and II, and in the last year of his life visited the National D Day Museum in New Orleans and the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg with his guy friends. His love of cats was legendary, and his friends and family enjoyed posting cute cat videos and memes to his Facebook page. As with people, cats were drawn to him, and his faithful feline companions will no doubt feel his loss as well.
Perhaps more than anything else, John will be remembered for his unwavering positive attitude, even in the face of much adversity, by his family and countless friends alike who all treasured him in many unique ways, but summarized best by his nickname “Happy John”.
A memorial service and celebration of John’s life is scheduled for Friday, September 22nd at 1:00 p.m. in The Chapel in the Woods at the Woodlands Church, 1 Fellowship Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77384. Flowers and condolences may be sent to Klein Funeral Home, 16131 Champion Forest Dr, Spring, TX 77379. In lieu of flowers, donations in John’s memory may be made to the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Sarcoma Research P.O. Box 4486, Houston, TX 77210-4486; the Texas A&M University Association of Former Students, 505 George Bush Dr, College Station, TX 77840; or Abandoned Animal Rescue, 419 E Hufsmith Rd, Tomball, TX 77375.
Celebration of Life
Friday September 22, 2017, 1:00 PM at The Woodlands Church
Click for Map and Directions
Service will be held in The Chapel In The Woods at Woodlands Church
1400 West Main
Tomball, Texas 77375
(281) 351-7233
John Clayton Ellisor
June 10, 1963 - September 17, 2017
John Clayton Ellisor, of Spring, TX, died peacefully in his home on Sunday, September 17th, 2017 after a heroic nine-year battle against cancer. At his side were his wife, his constant loving companion and caregiver throughout his struggle, and his two adoring daughters. He was 54 years old.
John is survived by his wife of twenty-four years, Connie Thomas Ellisor; daughters McLean Ellisor of Tuscaloosa, AL and Caroline Ellisor of Spring, TX; his mother Mary K. Ellisor of Dallas, TX; his brother Grover C. Ellisor III of Victoria, TX; sisters Kay Ellisor Hopkins and Patty Ellisor Sode, both of Dallas, TX; brothers-in-law Joe Hopkins and Peter Sode, both of Dallas, TX, Peyton Thomas Sr of Douthan, AL, and Bradford Rawlinson of Auburn, AL; sisters-in-law Jackie Barrett Ellisor of Dallas, TX and Elizabeth Thomas Rawlinson of Auburn, AL; six aunts and uncles, nine nieces and nephews, seven cousins, two great-nieces, five cats, two dogs, and many supportive dear friends too numerous to count. He was preceded in death by his father, Grover C. Ellisor Jr of Dallas, TX.
John was born or burst rather into his family’s lives on June 10th, 1963 in Dallas, TX. His parents and three older siblings knew he would be a force to be reckoned with as his outsized fun-loving personality and desire to be with people became apparent at an early age. As a boy, he demonstrated a talent for sports, playing football, baseball, and tennis and later taking up gymnastics in high school, where he earned All-American honors in the vault apparatus. His fellow students elected him to varsity cheerleader for his senior year at Highland Park High School after he impressed them with his tumbling and spirit skills. Along with his sports interests, John was a committed Boy Scout, earning the rank of Eagle with a bronze palm. As a Boy Scout, he traveled to the National Jamboree and the World Jamboree in Sweden and also completed a backpacking trek at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico with his father.
John graduated from Highland Park High School in Dallas, TX in 1981 and then attended Texas A&M University in College Station, TX where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Distribution. While a student, he was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity where he led a group of his fraternity brothers to a first-place finish in the 1985 Chi Omega Songfest competition, receiving a standing ovation after he performed his part. John like so many members of his family, became an ardent Aggie fan and attended many Aggie football games over the years. A prized gift presented to him during the last year of his illness was a football signed by every current member of the Texas A&M football team.
Professionally, John completed mud engineering training and worked for twenty-three years in the petroleum servicing industry, including holding positions as Mud Engineer and Engineering Manager at Spirit Fluids and National Oilwell Varco. His dedication and skills in his chosen career impressed his colleagues, many of whom became dear friends along the way. He did not allow the surgeries and treatments for his illness prevent him from fulfilling his professional responsibilities, evidence of his determination to provide for his beloved family.
John enjoyed hunting, fishing, golf, snow skiing, and traveling. As a young man a few years after college, he embarked upon a six-week backpacking trip across Europe with his fraternity brother Mark Hord, putting his scouting skills to good use. With his wife and daughters, he traveled to Disney World, Gulf Shores, Sint Maarten, Jackson Hole, Steamboat Springs, and other destinations, never letting a good beach or ski slope go to waste. John was also an astute student of military history, starting as a boy building World Wars I and II model airplanes. He read numerous books about the Civil War and World Wars I and II, and in the last year of his life visited the National D Day Museum in New Orleans and the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg with his guy friends. His love of cats was legendary, and his friends and family enjoyed posting cute cat videos and memes to his Facebook page. As with people, cats were drawn to him, and his faithful feline companions will no doubt feel his loss as well.
Perhaps more than anything else, John will be remembered for his unwavering positive attitude, even in the face of much adversity, by his family and countless friends alike who all treasured him in many unique ways, but summarized best by his nickname “Happy John”.
A memorial service and celebration of John’s life is scheduled for Friday, September 22nd at 1:00 p.m. in The Chapel in the Woods at the Woodlands Church, 1 Fellowship Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77384. Flowers and condolences may be sent to Klein Funeral Home, 16131 Champion Forest Dr, Spring, TX 77379. In lieu of flowers, donations in John’s memory may be made to the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Sarcoma Research P.O. Box 4486, Houston, TX 77210-4486; the Texas A&M University Association of Former Students, 505 George Bush Dr, College Station, TX 77840; or Abandoned Animal Rescue, 419 E Hufsmith Rd, Tomball, TX 77375.
Celebration of Life
Friday September 22, 2017, 1:00 PM at The Woodlands Church
Click for Map and Directions
Service will be held in The Chapel In The Woods at Woodlands Church
505 George Bush Drive
College Station, TX 77840
(979) 845-7514
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