One of the last tasks a family does for a loved one they have lost is to write their obituary. We do not have much experience with this, so if we don't get this quite right, we think you will understand.

Carol Jean Ellis was born in Appleton, WI, April 8, 1935 to Ray and Emma (Jentz) Plamann. She married Lee Ellis from Clark, SD. Carol and Lee worked side by side their entire married lives at Ray's Tire. They were blessed with three children: Tammy (Al) Basten, Gwenn (Dave) Tremble and David (Becky) Ellis and grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Today, Sunday, May 28, 2017, Carol was called home to heaven.

Here's the thing, listing the facts does not give you the essence of who Carol was. She had a deep faith in God, loved her family with everything she had and worked harder than many people believed possible.

From the time she was 4 years old she was working. She started by riding along with Ray delivering tires. She moved on to handing him tools as he needed them when he worked on a customer's vehicle. As soon as she could drive, she was delivering tires or running errands. She later worked with Em doing the bookwork of Ray's Tire. She continued in that role after she and Lee bought the business from Ray and Em. She loved the work. She loved the challenge. She loved working with the customers. She loved it so much that had you come into Ray's Tire in early April, you would have seen her at her desk. She just could not imagine life without work.

That being said, her family was her joy. She and her sister, Barb McConville of Palm Desert, CA would talk on Sundays. They might have been separated by miles, but were as close as two sisters could be. Time with her children and grandchildren was precious to her. She loved sharing in all of life's events. She believed in a Christian education and taught the value of hard work. It was her sense of humor we are remembering. How she laughed hysterically when Lee fell into the lake-"What did you expect with one foot on the dock and the other on the boat?" she asked. Then there was her "promise" to David to walk across the stage and they would together receive his high school diploma.

For Carol, "family" took on a larger meaning. She included all of the people she worked with, whether past or present. She considered it an honor to be part of your lives.

Mom lived at Cottonwood Manor the past number of years. She would want all of you to know that she considered you her family as well. It was while living there that she was able to make some of the most meaningful friendships of her life.

Life comes down to what you leave behind. Carol's legacy to us is simple; believe in and trust God with everything in your life, love those around you and don't be afraid of a little hard work.

We will miss her ready smile and the twinkle in her eyes. In the remembering of her, we will pray for greater faith, love more deeply and work a little bit harder. We can do these things because we were blessed to have had her in our lives.

Please join us for a celebration of Carol's life at ST. PAUL EV. LUTHERAN CHURCH (514 Clay St., Green Bay), Wednesday, May 31, 2017 from 11 to 11:45AM. A funeral service will follow at 12 NOON with Pastor Jon Zabell officiating. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery, Appleton. Newcomer Funeral Home, Green Bay has been entrusted with arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorials directed to St. Paul Ev. Lutheran School in Carol's name are appreciated.

We would like to thank the pastors at St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church, the staff at Cottonwood Manor and those individuals who cared for her at St. Vincent Hospital, Woodside Lutheran Home and Heartland Hospice.

To share a memory of Carol or leave a special message for her family, please click the Share Memories button above.