Marilyn Sue Ellison

Marilyn Sue Ellison, 76, of Stephenville, died Sunday, April 18, 2010 in Stephenville. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 PM Saturday, May 1, 2010 at First Presbyterian Church with Reverend Sharon Bryant officiating. Marilyn was cremated at her and her husband's request. Marilyn was born October 3, 1933 in Marshall, Texas to the late Irl Denton and Nora Bradford Glass. When she graduated from high school in Hook, Texas, Marilyn attended Texas State College for Women in Denton, Texas for a year then transferred to North Texas State College. Marilyn played French horn in various instrumental groups, including band and orchestra. She met Hugh Ellison in the summer shortly before she received her music degree, and on August 20, 1955, Hugh and Marilyn were married at the Eastside Methodist Church in Dallas. "An avid birder," she was always on the look-out for an interesting bird. In her later years, she would travel with husband Hugh to places like Belize, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, to watch birds. She was a proficient golfer, a devoted gardener, a wonderful cook, read voraciously, and played a mean game of Yahtzee. She was passionate about classical music and loved good films and crime dramas. She played French horn in her youth and sang in church choirs most of her adult life. She loved flowers and grew wonderful tomatoes. She was filled with life, had a quick wit, a soft heart, and smiled easily. She loved dogs and had a couple over the years whom she treated virtually as children. She was loved by many and will be missed terribly. In 1998 Marilyn and Hugh moved to Stephenville where she became very active in the First Presbyterian Church serving as an elder and singing in the choir. At one time, she also served as President of the Presbyterian Women. This was a church and congregation of people she loved very much. She was a member of several professional organizations, such as the Texas Classroom Teacher's Association. where she served two terms on the State Board. She was also a member and officer of the 20th Century Club. Survivors include her husband, Hugh; son, Eugene Denton Ellison of Arlington; daughter Nona Carole Ellison of Arlington; grandchildren, Randal Ellison of Austin and Elias Ellison of Dallas; sister, Irl Neilon of Denver, Colorado; brother, Carter M. Glass of Leesburg, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts be given to the First Presbyterian Church for its music program.