John "Red" William Ellis of Tulsa, OK passed peacefully on August 13th, 2022. He was born February 26, 1941 to Charles William Ellis and Marjorie Mae Harper in Highland, Kansas where he graduated from Highland High School. He also attended Highland Junior College with focus in Mechanical Engineering and earned a Drafting Technology Certificate from Kansas State College of Pittsburg, Kansas in 1964. After he finished his education he was employed by Farmland Coop Refinery in Phillipsburg, Kansas where he worked as a pipeline draftsman. He spent 42 years in the oil and gas industry including the following employers: Farmland Coop Refinery, William Brothers Engineering, Agrico Chemical, John Brown/Davy McKee, Resource Science Center and Dynegy. He was deeply dedicated to his occupation and truly enjoyed it before retiring in 2006.

On June 28th, 1964 he was joined in marriage to Donna Lee Hartman from Leona, Kansas. They were married for 58 years until his death. They started their married life in Phillipsburg, Kansas and in 1973 moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was preceded in death by his aforementioned parents and his grandparents John Harley Ellis and wife Grace. He is survived by his loving wife Donna and precious sons Charles and wife Melanie, Brian and wife Rachel, and Mark and wife Sherrie, as well as eight grandchildren, Jordan and husband Ryan, Wyatt and fiancé Hannah, Dawson, Parker, Mollie, Sydney, Dylan and Lauren and three great-grandchildren Lilliann, Grayson and Harley. Also surviving are numerous nieces and nephews. He loved his family very much.

His hobbies included model trains, classic cars, water skiing, boating, hunting, fishing and arrowhead hunting. John also enjoyed playing dominoes, cards, shooting pool and coin collecting. In addition to numerous camping trips with his sons, he also coached their soccer and baseball teams. John also owned farm ground that he had a great interest in, much of which was passed to him by his father and grandmother. Dogs were his favorite pet and he had many over the years including Junior, Brucie and several named Mitzie. Fifties rock and roll music was his favorite. He was a fan of the Kansas Jayhawks and enjoyed watching drag racing, especially driver John Force. He was also a huge supporter of Donald Trump. Other talents included remodeling bathrooms and kitchens. He spent many hours in wood working building tables, shelves, desks and water beds.

He was a member of the Presbyterian Church and the Boy Scout Troop both in Highland, Kansas.

A viewing will be held Thursday, August 18, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Moore Funeral Home at the Southlawn Chapel located at 9350 East 51st Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A funeral service will be held at Chapel Oaks Funeral Home Highland, Kansas, on August 20th at 11:00 AM. Private family burial will be at the Highland Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests those who wish to express sympathy to donate to the Highland Community College, in memory of his life and may be sent in care of Chapel Oaks Funeral Home, PO Box 33, 66035.

A special message or note of remembrance may be sent to the family at www.chapeloaksfuneralhome.com which is also the livestreaming site.