Cloudy, 43° F
Ronald was born Jan. 4, 1943 in Saratoga, Wyoming, to Iva Belle Kanavel and Marion Gene Ellis. He was raised in Thermopolis, Wyoming at Owl Creek and attended school in Thermopolis.
When he was 16 he asked his stepfather Joe Walker for a car, and Joe told him, “If you want a car you have to go on the sheep shearing circuit with me,” so they sheared sheep all over Wyoming, eastern and northern Montana.
Ron married Delores Bruce in Thermopolis while he was working on the Valentine Ranch. They had three children: Darrel (Dean), Randy and Ricky. They later divorced.
He later went to work on pulling units for J & R and married Rhonda Tucker and together they had Ronald Loo Jr. (Little Ronny). They later divorced.
He went to work for Junior Harrington as a water hauler and when Junior went out of business he worked for Kylander and then Montana Limestone as an operator until he retired in 2008.
In 1990 Ron and Melanie Kremer Christofferson were married and in 1993 they bought the Frannie Bar where he enjoyed darts, the camaraderie of his patrons and sponsoring many different events. He never met a stranger and was well known for his quick wit, storytelling and warm heart. In 1998 he earned his GED which he was very proud of.
He enjoyed hunting, camping, four wheeling, boating and time with his family. He wasn’t much of a fisherman but liked to bait the hooks for his grandkids. They also had a meat room in their shop where he processed their own meat and made brats, sausages and snack sticks.
In Ron’s earlier days he had a Harley and enjoyed riding with friends and all the adventures that came with that. One of his favorite Harley stories is when he and his buddy Pete rode through Clyde’s Bar in Powell.
Ron belonged to the Eagles for many years and formed many lasting friendships and had a great time at convention putting up with all the girls.
Ron was preceded in death by his parents, and brothers Lonny, Jim and David Allen. He is survived by his wife Melanie, brothers Don Ellis (Michigan), John Ellis (Frannie), Danny Allen (Gillette) and Fred Walker (Powell); sisters Vera Hinkley (Billings), Debbie Amick (Ten Sleep), Georgie Davis (Riverton), Penny Heartbank (Laramie); sons Dean and Randy Ellis (Casper), Ricky (Boysen) and Ronny (Breckenridge, Texas); stepchildren Janet Olson and Jason Christofferson (Powell) and one bonus daughter Margaret Pierson (Vernal, Utah); grandkids Alicia, Hayden and Randy Ellis (Casper); Chase Partridge (Powell), Cassidi Williams (Billings), Kadence and Colter Christofferson (Cody) and Jackson Ellis (Texas), and his sidekick and companion, his fur baby Sadie.
A celebration of life will be held at the Powell Elks Club, Dec. 1 at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Michael Fleming Scholarship Fund at Northwest College, in memory of Ron Ellis, or a charity of your choice.
