Ellen Ruth (Deis) Albright, housewife and resident of Kearney, Mo., for 73 years, died on August 17, 2019 at the age of 96 at Liberty Hospital, Liberty, Mo.
Ellen is survived by her sister, Carolee Virginia (Deis) Lewis of Oak Hill, Ohio; her three children, Joan Rebecca Albright of Leawood, Kans., John Roger Albright of Oklahoma City, Okla., and James Brian Albright of Oak Grove, Mo.; and her three grandchildren from James and Christina Yvonne Lamb Albright, Bailey Ellen Albright, Gage Brian Albright and Brooklyn Hope Albright, all of Oak Grove, Mo.
Ellen is predeceased by her husband, Roger Colburn Albright, lifetime resident of Kearney, Mo.; her sister, Elizabeth (Libby) Ann (Deis) Thompson of Piketon, Ohio; and her parents.
Ellen was born in Marshall, Mo., on November 4, 1922 to Carroll Maupin Deis and Ruth Vaughn (Chiswell) Deis. In 1939 Ellen, along with her parents and sisters, moved to Excelsior Springs, Mo., where her parents owned and operated the Midway Café at the intersection of M-92 and US-69 highways. Because of their move, Ellen finished her senior year at the Excelsior Springs High School. It was at the Midway Cafe, which was a popular place, where she met her future husband, Roger.
When the USA was brought into World War II, her husband, was accepted to the Air Cadet Academy at Camp Kit Carson in Colorado and Ellen went to work in Washington, DC at the Veterans Administration, and was later transferred to the Excelsior Springs, Mo., office. Ellen worked for the VA from 1942 to 1945.
Ellen and Roger were married before a Justice of the Peace on April 2, 1943 (Ellen refused to be married on April 1st) where the judge required them both to hold a horseshoe between them for good luck. Apparently, it worked … they were married for 68 years. They established their first home in Kearney, Mo., on East Lawrence Street.
Ellen was a beloved daughter, mother, housewife and friend. Even as she outlived most of her longtime friends and contemporaries, she developed new friendships with younger people and new acquaintances at home, Kearney First Baptist Church, Kearney Senior Center and Westbrook Assisted Living facility. Each one would comment on what a lovely person Ellen was. Ellen’s daughter, Joan, is often reminded half-jokingly by her partner, Pat, “You’ll never be as nice as your mother.” Ellen’s youngest son, James (Jim), often said, “The right way to raise a family is to live like they did on the Andy Griffith Show and the way Mom and Dad did.”
Though Ellen considered her primary responsibility was to her husband, family and grandchildren, she also served as a valued employee at several businesses around the Kearney area to include the Kearney Trust Company, Dagley Motor Co, J.P. Craig Tax Preparation, Blue Sky Farms and Weber Real Estate.
Ellen was a longtime member of the Kearney Baptist Church and member of two bridge clubs, one of which she had been a member since 1952.
Ellen will be placed beside her husband in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Kearney, Mo. No public graveside ceremony will be held.
Services will be held at the Fry-Bross & Spidle Funeral Home in Kearney, Mo., on Friday, August 23, 2019. Visitation is at 12:30 p.m., followed by Funeral Service at 2:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to either of the following:
- Kearney First Baptist Church
- Northland Foundation Nutrition Center
