John Elam "Jack" Elliss Iii

JOHN ELAM “JACK” ELLISS III Funeral services for John Elam “Jack” Elliss III, a lifelong Mancos resident will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 28 at the Mancos Performance Center. Cremation will follow the funeral service. Visitation will be held prior to services Saturday morning from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the Performance Center. John was born on November 8, 1938 in Westphalia, Kan., the son of John Elam Elliss Jr. and Edith Viola (Morton) Elliss. He passed away on Thursday, April 19, 2007 at the Southwest Memorial Hospital at the age of 68. After graduating from Mancos High School in 1956, John proudly served his country from June 1956 to June 1975 in the U.S. Navy Seabees. During that time he completed a tour of duty in Viet Nam and at his discharge he held the rank of Chief Petty Officer E7. On July 22, 1972 in Port Hueneme, Calif., John married Segaula Heather. After his release from the Navy, John returned to the Mancos area and began attending Fort Lewis College where he received his Masters in Archeology. John loved the outdoors, especially time spent hunting and fishing. He, too, was a sports enthusiast. John was a member of the VFW and Masons. Surviving John are his wife of 34 years, Segaula Elliss of Mancos; his children, Jeanette Thourman and husband, Wes of Irvine, Calif., Christy Tallman and husband, Tony of Coatesville, Ind., John Elliss IV and wife, Raven of Cottage Creek, Ore., Lalofau Antillon of Grand Junction, Colo., Luther Elliss and wife, Rebecca of Oakland, Mich., Leilani Bercume and husband, Doug of Clarkston, Mich. and Ben Elliss and wife, Brandi of Grand Junction, Colo., as well as by 25 grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Also surviving John are his sisters, Lois Casey and husband, Harv of Yukon, Ore. and Rovilla Ellis and husband, Darrell of Mancos; and his brothers, Richard Elliss and wife, Ceil and Ray Elliss and wife, Marcy all of Denver. Preceding John in death are his father and mother; and a sister, Marie Elliss.