Funeral services were held Saturday, March 7, 2020, at Shady Grove M.
B. Church, Hattiesburg,  for Mrs. Charlene Butler Ellis, 54, who died
Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, at St. Dominic Hospital, Jackson. Rev.
Reginald Woullard Jr., officiated with interment following in Highland
Cemetery, Hattiesburg. Johnson Funeral Home was in charge of
arrangements.
Mrs. Charlene Butler Ellis was born to Mr. Charley Butler and Mrs.
Alberta Butler in Bunkie, Louisiana.
She was known as “Deanie” by her family. She was “gifted” in singing
and was a member of several groups, The Butler Sisters, The Voice of
Harmony and Holy Inspirational. She joined Springhill M. B. Church
after her parents moved back to Prentiss.
She served as pianist, Sunday School member, choir director, Minister
of Music and Women’s of Worship Bible Teacher and planner for all
retreats.
Later, her parents moved to Hattiesburg, and she attended North
Forrest Schools, where she graduated with the class of 1983. She
attended and graduated from Jones Junior College in 1985, graduated
Cum Laude from Jackson State University in 1989, with a degree in
Early Childhood Education and later, she pledged Delta Sigma Theta
Sorority, Inc with the Hattiesburg Alumni Chapter. She worked in the
Hattiesburg Public School District for 22 years. She received the
Teacher of the Year Award.
Mrs. Butler Ellis received her Master of Education from William Carey
College in 2011, and later retired in 2013 after her health began to
fail.
After retirement, she began tutoring students in her home.
Mrs. Butler Ellis met and married Ulysses Luke Ellis in 1992, and to
this union, one child was born. She joined Shady Grove Church in
Hattiesburg, where she was a member of the choir, Wise Encouragers and
Helping Hands Ministry.
She was crowned Jefferson Davis County Unit #5326 2017 Mother of the Year.
She was preceded in death by one sister, Cathy Lynn Butler.
Mrs. Butler Ellis is survived by husband, Ulysses Butler; daughter and
caregiver, Ulyessa (Sis) Ellis; parents, Charley and Alberta Butler
all of Hattiesburg; sisters, Angela Butler of Ridgeland; Annessia
(Fred) Dawson of Hattiesburg; nehphew, Cameron Butler; adopted
brother, Fred Tate of Clarksville, Tennessee; two god-sons, Daxton
Milsap and Kingston Myers and many other relatives and friends.