L. Ellison

Robert Lucien Ellison, 70, of Rock Island, Illinois, died Friday, August 24, 2007, at his home.
Services are 11:00 a.m. Thursday, at First Baptist Church, Rock Island, with the Reverend Janet Waychoff officiating. Visitation is 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday at Trimble Funeral and Cremation Center, Moline. Burial is in Riverside Cemetery, Moline. Memorials may be made to the Quad City Animal Welfare Center in Milan, or Genesis Hospice.
Robert was born September 27, 1936, in Normal, Illinois, the youngest son of Reverend Mr. L.E. and Nora May (Swinford) Ellison. He was educated in Normal and Erie schools and graduated from the University of Illinois in 1957. He served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve from 1959 to 1965. He married Barbara Jean Cloud in Arlington Heights, Illinois, in 1961.
Mr. Ellison graduated from the John Marshall Law School and was admitted to the bar in 1962. He worked as Assistant State?s Attorney for Rock Island County before joining the law firm of Moran, Klockau, McCarthy, Schubert & Lousberg in 1965. He remained with the firm, now known as McCarthy, Callas, Fuhr & Ellison, until 2000. While in private practice, Mr. Ellison tried cases throughout northern and central Illinois, and argued nearly thirty appellate cases, six of them in the Supreme Court of Illinois. From 2000 until the time of his death, he served as Senior Law Clerk to Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas L. Kilbride.
Mr. Ellison was a member of the Illinois State and Rock Island County Bar Associations, served as Rock Island Township Auditor and Township Attorney, and also served on the Rock Island County Sheriff?s Merit Commission for thirty-two years.
Robert was a long time member of the First Baptist Church in Rock Island, and previously of Erie Baptist Church, where his father served as pastor for many years. He belonged to the Moline Consistory, where he was a 32nd Degree Mason, and was a member and past president of Short Hills Country Club in East Moline. Mr. Ellison was an avid golfer, horse and dog enthusiast, and a devoted life-long Chicago Bears and Cubs fan.
Robert is survived by his wife, Barbara C. Ellison of Rock Island; a sisters-in-law, Barbara M. Ellison, and Janet C. Varney; nieces and nephews, Patricia C. Ellison Kruse, Lawrence E. Ellison, Linda K. Ellison, Barbara J. Ellison, Margaret (Peggy) B. Ellison Tucker, William D. Ellison, Steven R. Ellison, Elizabeth (Beth) J. Ellison Boddy, Steven M. Varney, Robert E. Varney, and Victoria Bentley; many cousins, great-nieces and nephews; his cat, Paris, and his dog, Raleigh. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Ernest, David, and William.
Robert will be missed by all.
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