Rosa Lee Ellis

Rosa Lee Ellis, 73, of 253 Speedway Road, passed away on Dec. 1 at 3:10 p.m. at her residence.

The Cherokee County native was the wife of Nathaniel Ellis Sr. and the daughter of the late Ben and Minnie L. Littlejohn. She was a member of Mt. Zion Baptists CHurch where she served as the secretary of the missionary board and a member of the deaconness board.

Ellis is survived by six sons, Lewis Littlejohn, Julian Fowler and Timothy Ellis of the home, Cornelius Littlejohn of Shelby, Raymond Ellis and Darrell Ellis of Spartanburg; six daughters, Debra Studybance, Jacquelyn Farley, Rosetta Wicks, Leslie Ellis, Allene Ellis and Shirley Littlejohn, all of Gaffney; five sisters, Ida Mae Littlejohn, Era Corry, Juliette Tate and Nellie Humphries, all of Gaffney and Minnie Pearl Richardson, of Cleveland, Ohio; 33 grandchildren, 34 great grandchildren, and a host of stepchildren.

Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by three children, Nadine Ellis, Nathaniel Ellis Jr. and John Paul Ellis; two grandchildren, Rameshia Ellis and Barry Lynn Ellis; and three sisters, Stella Tate, Justine Tate and Sophia Littlejohn.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Mt. Zion Baptist Church with Dr. A.L. Brackett and others officiating.

Interment will follow in the church cemetery. She will lie instate at 1 p.m. until the hour of the service. Ellis' grandsons will serve as pallbearers.

Foster Funeral Home of Gaffney is in charge of arrangements.