Robert David Ellis

After a long life filled with accomplishments and love, Robert David Ellis Sr. (Bobby, Bob) 82, of Shreveport, LA., passed early Thursday April 14^th, 2016 following a brief illness. Services will be at 1:00 p.m. Monday, April 18, 2016 at Rose-Neath Marshall street Chapel, Shreveport, LA. Burial will follow at Hill Crest Cemetery, Haughton, LA. Officiating will be Rev. Larry Tucker. Visitation will be from 12:00 p.m. until service time at the funeral home. Robert (Bobby as he was known in his early years) was born on December 11, 1933 in New Brighton, PA and at an early age moved south with his family to Tyler, TX. At age 5 he and his family moved to Shreveport where he lived for the rest of his life. Bobby attended Line Avenue Elementary, Hamilton Terrance Jr. High, graduated Byrd High School in 1952 and graduated Centenary College in 1956. He was considered by many of his time to be one of the best all-around athletes to come out of Byrd and Centenary College. While at Byrd he excelled in football, baseball and basketball lettering in all three sports and was voted "Most Athletic Boy" of his senior class. He once held two of the top ten longest runs in Louisiana high school football. He was affectionately nicknamed "Terror Express." His senior year he was a speedster and leading scorer and played every quarter of every game playing both offensive fullback and defensive halfback and all of the special teams. He played American Legion baseball for 7Up Bottlers, hitting a 378 avg. for 78 games, batting cleanup and playing center field, leading them to Regional and State Championship and within one game of the National Title in the early 50\'s. He was offered minor league contracts on several occasions but despite his love of baseball he turned them down to accept a 4 year baseball scholarship to Centenary College recognizing the importance of a college education. At Centenary, Bob joined the Kappa Alpha Fraternity and was a member of the R.O.T.C. Program. He graduated Centenary College with a BS degree in Commerce. In the army he graduated from the armor school at Ft Knox, KY and attended the artillery school at Ft. Sill, OK and the adjutant General school at Ft Benjamin Harrison, IN. He completed his military duty at the grade of Captain. Upon leaving the military he worked for Southwestern Electric Power Co. for 10 years before changing fields and joining Titan Chemical. After winning several sales awards he helped form Zephyr Industrial and after four years he formed Beacon Chemical and Supply Inc. and was founder and CEO for 13 years with plants in Shreveport, Bossier and Houston, TX. He later combined with Delta Foremost and after many years of accolades the self-professed workaholic retired at the age of 69. In his retirement he found success as a real estate investor. Throughout his life Bob enjoyed coaching and playing in sports activities, traveling with his family to attend LSU football and each and every Independence Bowl game, bowling, traveling abroad, motor-homing, fishing, hunting and was an avid reader with particular interests in WWII, American Mafia, and true life military and history titles. He was active in church work for years serving on many committees and the Christian church as Chairman of the Board and various departments. He taught Sunday school classes for adults and served as an Elder. Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Alfred and Viola Ellis; his brother, A.E. "Happy" Ellis; and daughter-in-law, Dawn Hill Ellis. He is survived by his children Robert David Ellis Jr. and his wife Liezel Ellis, Scott Ramey Ellis, Laura Ellis Candler and her husband Matt Candler; his grandchildren Harper Catherine Candler and Hunter Knox Candler; his brother Johnny H. Ellis; by his longtime companion Martha Dunphy; her daughter Tammie Dunphy and her son Christopher and many nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws and lifelong friends. Bob, Dad, Daddy, Grandpapa is and will be deeply missed but will always live in our hearts and dreams until we meet again. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Phil Risher, Dale Sandifer, Gene Kerston, Mike Stayner, J.F. White, Buck Fulco, and Bill Crouch.