S. Richard Ellison, 94, of Kosciusko County, Ind.,, passed away at 11:35 a.m. Monday, May 5, 2014, in his residence.

On Sept. 10, 1919, he was born in Huntington County, Ind., to Samuel Edward and Ida Mae (Gesaman) Ellison. He was united in marriage to Mildred “Millie” Penn on Feb. 16, 1945, in Huntington, Ind. She preceded him in death on June 26, 2012.

Richard graduated from Andrews High School in 1937 and then he moved from Huntington to his Monroe Township Farm in 1950. He retired from farming and cleaned seed for the Kosciusko County Seed Improvement Association for many years, going to farms in Northern Indiana and Lower Michigan.

He was a member of Packerton United Methodist Church and a lifelong member of Farm Bureau. He also was an avid blood donor for the Red Cross. He was a generous man, who was very giving of his time and resources. He made maple syrup for many years and he was a very good story teller. He would often tell stories of his childhood.

Richard considered his family as his greatest investment. His daughter-in-law, Karen Ellison, was his primary care giver whom he called his “Absolute Angel.”

Richard is survived by four daughters: Mary Lou Cotton, Syracuse, Ind.; Dorothy (Steve King) Rutledge, Claypool, Ind.; Betty (Dan) Ormsby, Columbia City, Ind.; and Linda (Reg Smith) Lambert, Warsaw, Ind.; two sons: James (Karen) Ellison, Warsaw, Ind.; and Donald (Kelly) Ellison, Pierceton, Ind.; three sisters: Annice Buesking, Carmel, Ind.; Ruth (Wallace “Pete”) Yentes, Mason, Ohio; and Carolyn (Harry) Ringer, Tampa, Fla.; 17 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a sister: Mary Margaret Jackson.

Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, and from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 14, at McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel, Pierceton. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the funeral home with Pastor Bill Wood officiating. Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery, Pierceton.

Memorial contributions may be made to Kosciusko Homecare and Hospice, P.O. Box 1196, Warsaw, IN 46581-1196, or to Packerton United Methodist Church.

To sign the guestbook or send condolences electronically, go to the McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapels website.