WINSTON RUTHERFORD ELLIS
1926-2018
Winston Rutherford Ellis, age 91, of Houston, passed away on Saturday, the 17th of March, 2018.
Winston was born on the 15th of May, 1926, in Cisco, Eastland County, Texas. He was the grandson of Virginian-born rancher Thomas Lee Rutherford and of Eastland County’s Methodist minister, Henry Bascum Ellis.
Win’s parents moved to Brenham, Texas, and by the age of four Win would swim in Brenham’s community pool, diving for pennies thrown by amused onlookers. The family then moved to Corpus Christi, giving Win the opportunity to spend his time on that area’s beaches, fishing, netting for shrimp and swimming. Winston Attended Corpus Christi schools through graduation, after distinguishing himself as a tennis player. He won many local and regional tournaments, and then he and a partner twice won the Texas doubles championship.
After graduating high school, Win joined the Navy and was sent to San Diego, then Pearl City, Oahu, Hawaii for basic and special training. Win was then shipped out to Guam, where he spent the last months of the WW2. He was honorably discharged one year after the Japanese surrender, and promptly enrolled in law school, financing this with his G. I. Bill. He graduated Cum Laude in the Class of 1951 and proceeded to practice law in Dallas, where he met SMU student Gretchen Schoonmaker. After dating for five months they were married; a marriage which has lasted for 63 years and produced a son; Ian Winston Ellis. Winston lovingly taught his son the precepts of manhood: honesty, decency, hard work and kindness.
Win and Gretchen moved to Houston in 1956, where Win gained employment at Assistant county Attorney. During his law career in Houston, Winston served as Proctor for the federal courts of South Texas, Chief Civil Solicitor for Texas in the five county region, and as solicitor and trial lawyer for the firm of Hirsch and Westheimer. During the same period, Winston joined the faculty of South Texas College of Law, where he taught evening courses in contracts and negotiable instruments for 33 years.
In February of 2018 Winston suffered a series of injuries which he could not survive. Winston Rutherford Ellis died at home on the 17th of March. That day, Ian Ellis wrote on his timeline: “The man that taught me to smell the flowers and notice every sunset like it’s the first I’ve ever seen, passed away this morning. Simply the wisest, most honorable and caring person I’ve ever known. I love you Dad.”
Winston is survived by his family: Gretchen Schoonmaker Ellis, Ian Winston Ellis, Christina Erickson, Wyatt Wilson Ellis, Rachel Visco, Rebecca Visco, Io Iris Ellis and Ella Faye Hatley.
A memorial service is to be conducted at one o’clock in the afternoon on Sunday, the 8th of April, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston. Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the adjacent grand foyer.