Missionary Henrietta Ellis

Peacefully, on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, Henrietta Jones Ellis was called home. Henrietta was born on August 23, 1930 to the late Henry Mance and Cora Lee Jones.

Henrietta was educated in the District of Columbia school system and attended high school at Cardoza Senior High School. She was a founding member of Canaan Baptist Church and accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at a very early age under the tutelage of the late Dr. M. Cecil Mills. She was a member of the Royal Pulpit Ministry and the Mary E. Brown Missionary Society, where she faithfully served until her health began to fail.

She met the love of her life, the late Willie” Bill” Ellis and the two were joined in holy matrimony on November 18, 1948. To this union, five children were born, Wanda, Denise, Willie Jr., Valerie and Medrick, the birth of these children solidified their love of family. She was also mother to her stepdaughter Shirley E. Wise, who she shared a beautiful relationship.
Henrietta joined the D.C. Public School System as an Educational Aide in the fall of 1968 at Monroe Elementary, later combined with Bruce Elementary, where she remained until her retirement in October 1995. There she gained the love and respect of teachers, staff, and students alike. Many times, while out shopping or eating out, you would hear people ask her, “didn’t you use to work at Bruce-Monroe?”

Henrietta may have mothered five children, but she was mother to many. She loved children and would often host the friends of Wanda as her own. She and Bill were known to provide a meal or place to rest at any given time. Many of these kids would always refer to their house as just “609” and knew a hot meal would be waiting. They would often have fun alongside “their other children. On weekends, you may see many kids sleeping over at their house.

She loved entertaining, cooking, playing cards and her Washington Redskins. She was known for her sweet potato pies and minced pork barbeque. Henrietta enjoyed trips to Myrtle Beach, Hampton, Orlando, and Los Angeles. One of her greatest pleasures was to travel to South Boston, Virginia to visit with her foster son Ivory and goddaughter Brenda. There she was treated like the Queen she was, never having to lift a finger.

She was predeceased by her mother Cora Jones, husband Willie Ellis, Sr., daughter Denise, son Willie Ellis, Jr. and grandson Stephan Ellis. Henrietta leaves to mourn her passing daughters Wanda and Valerie Ellis, Shirley Wise, son Medrick Ellis Sr., foster sons Frank Ruffin and Ivory Crockett, son-in-law William Wise, granddaughter Stephanie White; one granddaughter-in-law Fatima Hinton; grandsons Medrick Jr. and Willie Ellis III and Pernell Blaine; one sister-in-law Minerva Bryant, great-grandchildren Rashad, Jayla, Jazmyn, Jordyn Ellis; two special nieces Delores Watts and Patrice Jones Brown; three goddaughters Velma Cox, Brenda Savage and Doris Stevens; one godson Nathaniel McCoy; two cousins George Butler and Allen Mance; one lifelong friend Vivian Blackburn; other loving relatives and many friends