Diane Marie Ellis, 79 of Huntsville, AL, died Monday following a lengthy battle with Alzheimer's. She was preceded in death by her father, Robert E. Agnes; mother, Lorene M. Agnes; and brother, Michael E. Agnes. Survivors include her husband, Jack D. Ellis of Huntsville; daughter, Margaret M. Bray of Dover, DE; daughter, Claire M. Wood of Huntsville; brother, Thomas P. Agnes of Danbury, CT; and five grandchildren, Joy Wood, Callie Wood, Lyrissa Bray, Nicholas Bray, and Noah Bray.
Born in Chicago, Diane spent her formative years in Connecticut, graduating from Stamford High School in 1959 and afterwards completing a double major in English and Political Science at Marquette University in Milwaukee. Following a stint with the National Security Agency, she enrolled in the graduate program in English at Tulane University in New Orleans, where she was able to pursue her passion for American literature. It was here also that she and Jack, then a graduate student in history, were married in August 1966, shortly before moving to the University of Delaware, where Jack had accepted a teaching position. In Delaware, she served on the staff of the Newark Police Department's Criminal Division and became the first civilian to receive its Nowinski Award for excellence. Afterwards, she worked as a writer and corporate relations expert for W. L. Gore and Associates before moving to the graduate office of the University of Delaware, where she served as primary editor for all student theses and dissertations while teaching courses at the University Writing Center, receiving the University of Delaware Merit Award for 1990-91.
Upon coming to Huntsville, where Jack had accepted the position of Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at UAH in 1992, Diane critiqued theses and dissertations for the School of Graduate Studies while performing volunteer work for Girls Incorporated and the Adult Learning Center, for which she received the McDonnell-Douglas Tennessee Valley Volunteer Award in June 1994. For six years, she produced a newsletter for the Huntsville-Madison County Library while serving as a hospitality associate at Alabama Constitution Village. In 1998, she was appointed Executive Director of the Historic Huntsville Foundation, working to raise community awareness of historical preservation and winning several grants in support of this goal.
Diane was a loving mother and grandmother who during her final years continued to demonstrate the courage and dignity that had long been hallmarks of her character. Forever beautiful in mind and spirit, she now reposes in the arms of God, reclaiming sweet memories of her time on earth and the people who loved her.
Visitation will be from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Monday, February 21, 2022, at Laughlin Service Funeral Home with the memorial service following. A brief graveside service will follow in Maple Hill Cemetery. The family requests that guests wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines.
In accordance with Diane's earlier written wishes, the family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Huntsville-Madison County Library.
Born in Chicago, Diane spent her formative years in Connecticut, graduating from Stamford High School in 1959 and afterwards completing a double major in English and Political Science at Marquette University in Milwaukee. Following a stint with the National Security Agency, she enrolled in the graduate program in English at Tulane University in New Orleans, where she was able to pursue her passion for American literature. It was here also that she and Jack, then a graduate student in history, were married in August 1966, shortly before moving to the University of Delaware, where Jack had accepted a teaching position. In Delaware, she served on the staff of the Newark Police Department's Criminal Division and became the first civilian to receive its Nowinski Award for excellence. Afterwards, she worked as a writer and corporate relations expert for W. L. Gore and Associates before moving to the graduate office of the University of Delaware, where she served as primary editor for all student theses and dissertations while teaching courses at the University Writing Center, receiving the University of Delaware Merit Award for 1990-91.
Upon coming to Huntsville, where Jack had accepted the position of Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at UAH in 1992, Diane critiqued theses and dissertations for the School of Graduate Studies while performing volunteer work for Girls Incorporated and the Adult Learning Center, for which she received the McDonnell-Douglas Tennessee Valley Volunteer Award in June 1994. For six years, she produced a newsletter for the Huntsville-Madison County Library while serving as a hospitality associate at Alabama Constitution Village. In 1998, she was appointed Executive Director of the Historic Huntsville Foundation, working to raise community awareness of historical preservation and winning several grants in support of this goal.
Diane was a loving mother and grandmother who during her final years continued to demonstrate the courage and dignity that had long been hallmarks of her character. Forever beautiful in mind and spirit, she now reposes in the arms of God, reclaiming sweet memories of her time on earth and the people who loved her.
Visitation will be from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Monday, February 21, 2022, at Laughlin Service Funeral Home with the memorial service following. A brief graveside service will follow in Maple Hill Cemetery. The family requests that guests wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines.
In accordance with Diane's earlier written wishes, the family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Huntsville-Madison County Library.
Diane Marie Ellis, 79 of Huntsville, AL, died Monday following a lengthy battle with Alzheimer's. She was preceded in death by her father, Robert E. Agnes; mother, Lorene M. Agnes; and brother, Michael E. Agnes. Survivors include her husband, Jack D. Ellis of Huntsville; daughter, Margaret M. Bray of Dover, DE; daughter, Claire M. Wood of Huntsville; brother, Thomas P. Agnes of Danbury, CT; and five grandchildren, Joy Wood, Callie Wood, Lyrissa Bray, Nicholas Bray, and Noah Bray.
Born in Chicago, Diane spent her formative years in Connecticut, graduating from Stamford High School in 1959 and afterwards completing a double major in English and Political Science at Marquette University in Milwaukee. Following a stint with the National Security Agency, she enrolled in the graduate program in English at Tulane University in New Orleans, where she was able to pursue her passion for American literature. It was here also that she and Jack, then a graduate student in history, were married in August 1966, shortly before moving to the University of Delaware, where Jack had accepted a teaching position. In Delaware, she served on the staff of the Newark Police Department's Criminal Division and became the first civilian to receive its Nowinski Award for excellence. Afterwards, she worked as a writer and corporate relations expert for W. L. Gore and Associates before moving to the graduate office of the University of Delaware, where she served as primary editor for all student theses and dissertations while teaching courses at the University Writing Center, receiving the University of Delaware Merit Award for 1990-91.
Upon coming to Huntsville, where Jack had accepted the position of Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at UAH in 1992, Diane critiqued theses and dissertations for the School of Graduate Studies while performing volunteer work for Girls Incorporated and the Adult Learning Center, for which she received the McDonnell-Douglas Tennessee Valley Volunteer Award in June 1994. For six years, she produced a newsletter for the Huntsville-Madison County Library while serving as a hospitality associate at Alabama Constitution Village. In 1998, she was appointed Executive Director of the Historic Huntsville Foundation, working to raise community awareness of historical preservation and winning several grants in support of this goal.
Diane was a loving mother and grandmother who during her final years continued to demonstrate the courage and dignity that had long been hallmarks of her character. Forever beautiful in mind and spirit, she now reposes in the arms of God, reclaiming sweet memories of her time on earth and the people who loved her.
Visitation will be from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Monday, February 21, 2022, at Laughlin Service Funeral Home with the memorial service following. A brief graveside service will follow in Maple Hill Cemetery. The family requests that guests wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines.
In accordance with Diane's earlier written wishes, the family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Huntsville-Madison County Library.
Born in Chicago, Diane spent her formative years in Connecticut, graduating from Stamford High School in 1959 and afterwards completing a double major in English and Political Science at Marquette University in Milwaukee. Following a stint with the National Security Agency, she enrolled in the graduate program in English at Tulane University in New Orleans, where she was able to pursue her passion for American literature. It was here also that she and Jack, then a graduate student in history, were married in August 1966, shortly before moving to the University of Delaware, where Jack had accepted a teaching position. In Delaware, she served on the staff of the Newark Police Department's Criminal Division and became the first civilian to receive its Nowinski Award for excellence. Afterwards, she worked as a writer and corporate relations expert for W. L. Gore and Associates before moving to the graduate office of the University of Delaware, where she served as primary editor for all student theses and dissertations while teaching courses at the University Writing Center, receiving the University of Delaware Merit Award for 1990-91.
Upon coming to Huntsville, where Jack had accepted the position of Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at UAH in 1992, Diane critiqued theses and dissertations for the School of Graduate Studies while performing volunteer work for Girls Incorporated and the Adult Learning Center, for which she received the McDonnell-Douglas Tennessee Valley Volunteer Award in June 1994. For six years, she produced a newsletter for the Huntsville-Madison County Library while serving as a hospitality associate at Alabama Constitution Village. In 1998, she was appointed Executive Director of the Historic Huntsville Foundation, working to raise community awareness of historical preservation and winning several grants in support of this goal.
Diane was a loving mother and grandmother who during her final years continued to demonstrate the courage and dignity that had long been hallmarks of her character. Forever beautiful in mind and spirit, she now reposes in the arms of God, reclaiming sweet memories of her time on earth and the people who loved her.
Visitation will be from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Monday, February 21, 2022, at Laughlin Service Funeral Home with the memorial service following. A brief graveside service will follow in Maple Hill Cemetery. The family requests that guests wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines.
In accordance with Diane's earlier written wishes, the family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Huntsville-Madison County Library.
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