Helen Ellison Obituary

Clarksville, TNHelen Marie Crosswhite Ellison passed away on October 3, 2023, due to lung disease, at Tennova Hospital in Clarksville, TN. She fought bravely but God knew of her exhaustion, so he summoned the angels to call her home. Marie knew her days were limited, she spoke of her final wishes, and then peacefully slipped away on Tuesday afternoon with family members at her side. Helen was born August 11, 1944, in Glade Spring, VA. After leaving school (Patrick Henry H. S), she moved to Baltimore, quickly discovering that she was not a "city girl," she returned home. She married and had three children: Cindy, Gayle, and Larry. A brother-in-law, Roger Burress, convinced the now-divorced, young mother to correspond with his Army buddy in Okinawa, Japan. They became pen-pals and when Malcolm was granted leave, instead of going home to Texas, he went to Virginia to meet Marie. She then moved with her kids to Union City, TN, where her sisters, Mattie and Patsy, now lived. Between his tours of Vietnam, Mack and Marie married in 1969. He adopted her children, and they became the All-American military family. Duty stations included Ft. Lewis, WA, Ft. Campbell, KY, and Wuerzburg, Germany. The couple had a second son, Jason, and later retired in Clarksville, TN. Marie worked at several garment factories sewing. She also worked at Acme Boot Co and while in Germany, at Mercedes Benz making car seats, and finally retired from a blue-jean manufacturing co. , Flynn Enterprises, in Hopkinsville, KY. Marie enjoyed sewing, embroidery, quilting, and yard work where she was constantly chasing wasps, wire grass and weeds. Her family teased her that the lawn looked like it had the mange and even called it the Whack-A-Mole yard. She and Mack also liked traveling, especially taking cruises with brother-in-law Larry Askew and daughter, Lisa. She was preceded in death by parents Bocey and Grace (Rhudy) Crosswhite of Glade Spring, VA; four Crosswhite brothers, Graham A. , Fred E. , Edward H. , and James D; two sisters, Patricia McGhee, Francis E. ; a son, Larry Eugene Ellison; and a son-in-law, Richard Boyes; lovingly, she called him the "Old Goat" and he called her the "Old Bat". Helen is survived by her husband of 54 years, Malcolm H. Ellison (Ret. Army SSGT. ); daughters, Cynthia Ellison Bowman (Simon) of Hickman, KY, Lisa Gayle Ellison-Boyes of Lenoir City, TN; son, Jason Ellison (Natasha) of Dresden, TN; sisters Mattie Burress of Union City, TN and Ruby Nelson of Columbia, SC; one brother, Glen Crosswhite (JoAnne) of Baltimore; Grandchildren, Brooke Lopez, Clarksville, TN, Keith Edgin (Kimberly) of Union City, TN, and Chase Johnson (Hannah) of Anchorage, Alaska. Great grandchildren, Zoey, McKenzie; Oakley, and Ellie. A special daughter-in-law, Brigetta Ellison, Morristown, TN; two very special nephews, Roger Dale Burress, Union City, TN, and Tim Burress of Clarksville. Several nieces, nephews, extended family members and many friends around the country were graced by her kindness. All services are private. Her final resting place will be at Blackwell Chapel United Methodist Cemetery. Online condolences may be expressed at drhendersonfuneralhome. com. The D. R. Henderson Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Helen Marie Crosswhite Ellison.