Oscar "Pepper" Ellis

Oscar (Pepper) Lee Ellis, 81, of East Moline, died Thursday, May 2, 2019, at his home.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, May 18, 2019, at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, East Moline.  Memorials may be made to the family.

Oscar was born on June 28, 1937, in Columbus, Mississippi, the son of Mitt and Sarah (Wallace) Ellis.  At an early age, Oscar was a member of the Union Baptist Church in Columbus.  He married Catherine Brown in Pickens County, Alabama.  Oscar retired from a plant in Chicago, then came to East Moline to work at Metokote.

Oscar loved spending time with his kids and grandkids.  He watched Cubs and Chicago Bears games.  He also like to watch the horses at the racetrack.

Survivors include his children; Billy Brown Lee, Chicago; Shirley Jones; Rosie (Jimmie) Taylor, David Harris, Dennis (Sharon) Ellis; Helen Ellis, all of Columbus, MS; Benita (Timothy) Robinson, Fort Wayne, IN; Oscar Brown; Priscilla (Roderick) Walls, Chanel (Chris) Brown, Meko (Jamie) Brown, all from East Moline; Ponzell (Peggie) Brown, Shelby, MS; and Raymond Harris, Columbus, MS.  He is also survived by his siblings; Thaddius Ellis; James Earl (Ruby) Owens, Alsie Johnson, all from Bellwood, Illinois; Ruth (Timmy) Smith, Chicago; Jeannie Ellie, South Carolina; Shirley Thomas, Linda Ellis both of Columbus, MS; and special friends; Arthur Garder (Tom Cat), and Willie Phillips of Rock Island.  Also a host of grandchildren, great- grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by both parents, Mitt and Sarah Ellis; his wife, Catherine; 2 brothers, Joseph Ellis, Sylvester Ellis; 2 sisters, Ruth Simon, Ella Jean Ellis; 2 daughters-in-law, Katrina Brown, Latrice Carter; grandson, Ponzell Jodale Brown; and his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Preston and Lenora Brown; brothers-in-law, Arthur Johnson, Leslie Brown, and Marvin Brown.

Memories may be shared on the tribute wall.