Mary Ellen Ellis went home to be with the Lord on April 2, 2019. She was 85. 

Mary Ellen was born in Turlock on Nov. 8, 1933 to Leonard and Ellen Olson. The oldest of three children, she attended Hawthorne Elementary School, was a graduate of Turlock High School with the class of 1951, went to Modesto Junior College and was a graduate of Fresno State College, majoring in journalism. She was hired as an assistant editor at the Merced Sun-Star for five years. 

She met her husband, Don, when the pair were introduced by mutual friends on a blind date. They were married April 19, 1959 in Merced. They became parents of a son, Patrick, in 1960 and a daughter, Kathleen, in 1965. The family moved to Turlock in 1960. Mary Ellen was employed in the office of the Roy M. Day Co. before she became the Woman’s Editor of the Turlock Journal when it was a daily newspaper. After 7 years, she left the paper and spent the remaining years before retirement babysitting for special friends. She was a member of Bethel Temple Church. 

Mary Ellen was gentle, humble and sincere and always showed great appreciation for what she had and for the people in her life. She had a quiet but deep love for God and the ways of the Bible. Curious by nature, Mary Ellen would go to great lengths to get accurate information on various and numerous topics of interest for herself and others. 

Her husband of 58 years, Don, preceded her in death on Aug. 15, 2017. She leaves a son, Patrick Ellis; a daughter, Kathleen McGinnis; a son-in-law, Gary McGinnis and two cherished granddaughters, Kellie McGinnis and Julie McGinnis, all of Turlock. She is also survived by a sister, Annette Brill of Lafayette and a brother, Leonard (Judy) Olson of Turlock. The family held a private burial at Turlock Memorial Park. 

A Celebration of Life will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 27th at Calvary Baptist Church, 700 E. Monte Vista Ave., Turlock.