Obituary for Paul Ellis
Farmington - Paul Nathan Ellis, 91, of Rangeley Maine, died of natural causes on July 25, 2020 at Franklin Memorial Hospital. Paul was raised in Rangeley on the family farm by his parents Lynwood and Marion Oakes Ellis. Many years later the Lynwood Ellis farm became the Farmhouse Inn and is now recognizable as Mountain Star Estate. His family are descendants of Luther and Eunice Hoar, the first white settlers in the Rangeley Lakes Region in 1817.
Paul graduated from Rangeley High School and the University of Maine at Orono and received a master’s degree in education from Boston University. Following service in the US Army Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC), his first career was as a teacher and basketball coach at Clinton HS in Maine and later as the high school principal and then superintendent at Nauset Regional schools on Cape Cod. Paul moved back to Maine from Massachusetts in the early 1970’s, serving as principal of the Rangeley HS. He took over the family farm and ran the Farmhouse Inn as a B&B and AT hostel. He then subdivided the farm into over 200 lots, creating the Highlands and Overlook development. There were many other business ventures and real estate developments but his passion was community service. At various times Paul served on the Rangeley school board, Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, and was involved in many community projects on the local, regional and state levels. Paul was a lifelong member and a past Senior Warden of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Rangeley.
Paul is survived by the families of his children with his deceased ex-wife Barbara and the family of deceased wife Lillian. He leaves behind his children Valerie (Ellis) Zapolsky and husband Jeff, Pamela Ellis, Rob Ellis, grandchildren Benjamin, Nathan, Samuel, Ivan, Bethany, Connor, Athena, and great grandchildren Violet and Eli. From Lillian’s family he leaves behind her children Helen and husband Dennis, Cate, Kenneth and wife Alyson, grandchildren Laura, Stephanie, Aaron, Molly, Caroline, Kenneth and great grandchild Lily. Paul had eleven siblings and is survived by his sister Greta Ellis Haley Pratt and husband Rodney (Weld) and brother Harry Albert Ellis and wife Jean (Strong). He is beloved by many, many nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
In addition to being a devout Red Sox fan, his other pride and joy was the Rangeley Friends of the Arts. Paul served in leadership roles with the organization and strove to keep community theater alive for youth and adults in Rangeley, producing and directing numerous musicals over the years. One of Paul’s fervent wishes was to have a performing arts center in Rangeley. In lieu of flowers please send donations in memory of Paul to the Rangeley Friends of the Arts,
PO Box 333, Rangeley, ME 04970. Public memorial services will be at a later date to be announced. Interment will be at Evergreeen Cemetery in Rangeley. Please share memories and kind words in his Book of Memories at www.wilesrc.com. Cremation care and memorial services are being cared for and provided by the Wiles Remembrance Center:Adams~McFarlane Chapel, 137 Farmington Falls Road, Farmington.
Paul graduated from Rangeley High School and the University of Maine at Orono and received a master’s degree in education from Boston University. Following service in the US Army Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC), his first career was as a teacher and basketball coach at Clinton HS in Maine and later as the high school principal and then superintendent at Nauset Regional schools on Cape Cod. Paul moved back to Maine from Massachusetts in the early 1970’s, serving as principal of the Rangeley HS. He took over the family farm and ran the Farmhouse Inn as a B&B and AT hostel. He then subdivided the farm into over 200 lots, creating the Highlands and Overlook development. There were many other business ventures and real estate developments but his passion was community service. At various times Paul served on the Rangeley school board, Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, and was involved in many community projects on the local, regional and state levels. Paul was a lifelong member and a past Senior Warden of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Rangeley.
Paul is survived by the families of his children with his deceased ex-wife Barbara and the family of deceased wife Lillian. He leaves behind his children Valerie (Ellis) Zapolsky and husband Jeff, Pamela Ellis, Rob Ellis, grandchildren Benjamin, Nathan, Samuel, Ivan, Bethany, Connor, Athena, and great grandchildren Violet and Eli. From Lillian’s family he leaves behind her children Helen and husband Dennis, Cate, Kenneth and wife Alyson, grandchildren Laura, Stephanie, Aaron, Molly, Caroline, Kenneth and great grandchild Lily. Paul had eleven siblings and is survived by his sister Greta Ellis Haley Pratt and husband Rodney (Weld) and brother Harry Albert Ellis and wife Jean (Strong). He is beloved by many, many nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
In addition to being a devout Red Sox fan, his other pride and joy was the Rangeley Friends of the Arts. Paul served in leadership roles with the organization and strove to keep community theater alive for youth and adults in Rangeley, producing and directing numerous musicals over the years. One of Paul’s fervent wishes was to have a performing arts center in Rangeley. In lieu of flowers please send donations in memory of Paul to the Rangeley Friends of the Arts,
PO Box 333, Rangeley, ME 04970. Public memorial services will be at a later date to be announced. Interment will be at Evergreeen Cemetery in Rangeley. Please share memories and kind words in his Book of Memories at www.wilesrc.com. Cremation care and memorial services are being cared for and provided by the Wiles Remembrance Center:Adams~McFarlane Chapel, 137 Farmington Falls Road, Farmington.