Doris Ann Ellis, 86, of Llano died Aug. 6, 2021
Doris Ann Ellis was born in Houston to Charles and Elizabeth Drapela on Saturday, Aug. 25, 1934. She died Monday morning, Aug. 16, 2021, at her home in Llano, Texas, where she lived since her husband, Tommy, died in 2000.
Doris was described in her 1952 senior yearbook from St. Agnes Academy as sweet, pretty, and talented. She was known for her musical ability and her radiant smile. She met Thomas William Ellis, her future husband, at a Catholic Youth organization event in Houston. They were married on Jan. 8, 1954.
Doris focused on raising their family of eight children between September 1954 and July 1968. She balanced a few part-time positions between her focus on her children and any free time she could find. She sold Avon products to the local ladies and after obtaining her Realtor’s License and Broker’s License, she worked in the real estate industry for a while to boost the family finances.
Doris’ love of music led her to take accordion lessons from Bill Hughes of the famous Palmer-Hughs Accordion Course Books in the 1950s. She loved to entertain the children with music she played on the accordion and piano.
After moving to Llano, she worked for the ACME Dry Goods business owned by three of her children on the courthouse square, where she is best remembered for her delicious desserts and sales expertise in the boutique side of the store.
Doris’ green thumb made her very successful in growing vegetables in her garden and numerous types of flowers around her house. As a Master Gardener, she loved to share her flowers and plants with her family and friends during most of her adult life.
She also loved fishing in the Llano River and on the Texas coast.
She is survived by her eight children: Matt; Joe and wife Tammy; Mary Pavlich and husband Stephen; Gregg; Dr. Ken Ellis and wife Dr. Lise Ellis; Leslie and wife Teresa; and Elizabeth Lively and husband Sam; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews; and her brother David Drapela and sister Mary Beth Boston, both of Austin, Texas.
She was preceded in death by parents; husband, Thomas William Ellis; and brother Charles “Doc” Drapela.
A visitation will be held Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021, at Waldrope-Hatfield-Hawthorne Funeral Chapel in Llano from 4-6 p.m.
Funeral Mass will be held at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Llano on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, at noon. Burial will be Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021, at Fall Creek Cemetery in Spicewood, Texas, at 10 a.m. Officiating will be Father Red Blevins.
Funeral arrangements made under the direction of Waldrope-Hatfield-Hawthorne Funeral Homes Inc. of Llano, Texas. Email condolences may be sent to whhfuneral1@verizon.net.
