1916 – 2015

NORWAY — Avis Arline Ellingwood, 99 of Norway passed into heaven on Monday, Nov. 2, at her home.

Avis was born in South Bethel on Oct. 8, 1916, the fifth of six daughters of George M. and Sarah M. (Cole) Salls. She graduated salutatorian from Woodstock High School, Class of 1934.

During her early adulthood, she worked at the Tebbetts Mill in Locke Mills.

She married Ellis C. Ellingwood on Sept. 14, 1941. They were married for 63 years before his death.

Avis was the original bookkeeper for the West Paris Water Works. She served as librarian for the Arthur L. Mann Memorial Library for 24 and a half years, leader of the first Brownie Scout Troop in West Paris, 4-H Club leader for 15 years and served on several committees for the 4-H Leaders Association. She was treasurer, chaplain and president of the West Paris Senior Citizens, charter member of the West Paris Historical Society and Stephens Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and a member of the West Paris Firemens Auxiliary. She was recipient of the Community Service Award by the West Paris Grange.

Avis was active in the Locke Mills Union Church, West Paris Baptist Church and South Paris Baptist Church, where she served as deaconess, clerk, Sunday school teacher, superintendent of the Sunday school Junior Department, Sunday school librarian, treasurer, youth leader, DVBS leader, and Ministry for Missions for over 20 years, plus multiple other committees. She also enjoyed doing various crafts, winning awards in some of them.

She is predeceased by her husband; her parents; all five sisters and their spouses, Gladys and Rupert Ellingwood, Maude and Walter Newell, Hazel and Reginald Ford Sr., Eunice Salls, and Rita Salls; a grandson, Jeremy Ellingwood; and a former son-in-law, Arthur Getrich.

She is survived by their three children, Judith Elissa Ellingwood, Jerry Ellis Ellingwood and his wife, Linda, and Bonita Sharlene Atkinson and her husband, Al; 13 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; 22 great-stepgrandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren with three more on the way; and nine great-great-stepgrandchildren.

Condolences can be expressed at www.chandlerfunerals.com.