04/07/2026
Mr. Roger Dale Ellis, age 75, of Jonesborough, passed away at his home Saturday, January 31, 2026.
He was born on July 28, 1950, in Washington County to the late George Bruce and Helen Oliver Ellis.
Roger graduated from Jonesboro High School in 1968 where, in Roger’s words, he was a minor contributor to Hobart Powell’s baseball dynasty. Roger proudly served his country in the United States Army. After his military service he worked at Klopman Mills for 12.5 years where he made lifelong friends. He then worked for Liberty National Life Insurance Company for 26 years, obtaining the SLU level, where, through hard work and proper planning, he was able to retire at age 55. In his work there he met and helped many people who held him in high esteem. He trained many agents, preaching to them “if you can’t help them, don’t hurt them.” It was at this job that he met his future wife, Carolyn. Carolyn’s father, William C. Hunt, played an important role in Roger’s early school days. Mr. Hunt was principal at Jonesboro Elementary and Roger spent much time in his office as he was constantly in trouble, but Mr. Hunt told Roger he saw potential in him. Roger teased that this was payback by marrying Mr. Hunt’s daughter, but Carolyn always felt their coming together was a God thing and they would have celebrated 39 years of marriage in July.
Roger had a deep faith. As a cherished member of Limestone United Methodist Church, he served as Administrative Board Chair, Sunday School Superintendent, and usher. He will be remembered as the first friendly face to greet people as they arrived at church, always with a smile and a story. He worked countless hours at his church doing anything that was needed. He was always ready to help others with a quiet, steady kindness. He will be remembered as a good neighbor and always had an extensive outdoor display that neighbors and friends, young and old, always looked forward to every Halloween. Roger had an amazing memory, a vast knowledge of fi****ms, was an avid reader, and enjoyed listening to Swap Shop on the radio and working the daily newspaper Sudoku puzzles and word jumbles up until the last few days. He was a lifelong fan of the Detroit Tigers and Lions, and Nascar. He enjoyed woodworking and gifted many family members and friends with beautifully crafted birdhouses.
Roger is survived by his wife Carolyn; sister, Phyllis Hughes (Dale, deceased); brothers, Gordon (Sherry), Allen (Sonja) and Glen; a special uncle Gary Oliver; numerous Hunt family “out-laws” whom he loved and who loved him dearly: Linda Poteat (Steve), Dianne Hunt (Bill, deceased), Rebecca Hall (Dennis), Vicki Bradley (John), John Hunt (Sherry) and Barbara Hunt and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by an infant son, Joey; sisters, Edna Lewis, Georgia Davis, Gail Maupin, and brothers, Gene and Gerald.
A special thanks to Lauren Snapp, NP and Craig Mathern, MD with State of Franklin Healthcare who lovingly cared for Roger – he truly loved you.
A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, April 12, 2026, at 3:00 pm at Limestone United Methodist Church, 189 Opie Arnold Road, Limestone, TN. The family will receive friends from 2:00 to 3:00 prior to the service. Pastor Lon Tobin will officiate and eulogies will be given by Donna Waddle, Steven Spell, and Dr. John Hunt. Honorary pallbearers will be brothers and brothers-in-law, men of Limestone UMC, Gary Oliver, Ira Grant, Larry Bacon, Wade McKinney, Larry Shanks, Tommy Howard, Bill Swanay, Tim Pullon, Frank Schingle, Karen Lemmons, and Ernestine Renfro.
It was Roger’s wish that his body be donated to the ETSU College of Medicine. Roger requested in lieu of flowers memorial donations be made to Mary Meals, Limestone UMC, 189 Opie Arnold Road, Limestone, TN 37681 or the Washington County Animal Shelter.
Roger wanted the last line of his obituary to be “I did what I had to do.”
