Aleene Ellis, 86, of Calhoun, Missouri, died Sunday morning, February 22, 2026, at her home.
She was born October 8, 1939, in Albany, Mo., the daughter of Ray Edward Newman and Eunice Totsy (Barnes) Newman. On April 7, 1956, she married Lewis Allen “Junior” Ellis in Gallatin, Mo., and he preceded her in death on November 9, 2008.
Aleene was working at the movie theatre in Pattonsburg, Mo., when she met Junior. Shortly after marriage, they moved to the Calhoun area. She was a nursing home nurse and later worked as a phlebotomist and at Pat’s Lawn and Garden in Clinton. She enjoyed various crafts including quilting, knitting, and pottery. She also liked to garden, fish, and collect chicken figurines. She loved her children and grandchildren and shared many special times with them working puzzles, playing card games, and watching reruns of Gunsmoke.
Survivors include 4 children, Rickey Ellis (Mardi), Warrensburg, Mo., Donna Cooper (Kenny), Calhoun, Mo., Anna Dawson (Jerry), Clinton, Mo., and Pam Cochran (David Swartz), Clinton, Mo.; 13 grandchildren, Robert Ellis, Dominik Ellis, Shari Harrington, Erik Lindquist, Shreta Irving, Gage Cooper, B.J. Switzer, TeAnna Houk, Marcus Stutzman, Lance Dawson, Alisha Huff, Crystal Snyder, and Josh Cochran; many great-grandchildren and several great-great-grandchildren; 2 brothers, Paul Smith, Windsor, Mo., and John Smith (Liz), Franktown, Colorado; 3 sisters, Deanna Pendergrass, Windsor, Mo., Barbara Cox (Gary), Hermitage, Mo., and Debbie Pfeiffer, Urbana, Mo.; and numerous nephews, nieces, great-nephews, and great-nieces. In addition to her husband Junior, she was preceded in death by a brother and sister-in-law, Eddie and Phyllis Newman; a brother-in-law, Clif Pendergrass; 2 nephews, Tommy Newman and Shaun Howery; and a great-nephew, Alan Marcille.
Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m., Saturday, February 28, 2026, at the Hadley Funeral Home, Windsor. Burial will be in the Laurel Oak Cemetery, Windsor. The family will receive friends before the service from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the funeral home. The family suggests contributions to the Clinton Animal Shelter in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left online at www.hadleyfuneralhome.com.
