Richard Lee Ellard, 84, of Union, WV, departed this life and started his life with God and his departed family members on December 29, 2017.
He was born at Muddy Creek Mountain near Alderson in Greenbrier County, WV, on May 7, 1933, a son of Ray and Stella Stuart Ellard.
He attended Alderson Schools and graduated in 1952, and was encouraged and inspired to further his education by a special teacher and friend, Mr. Frank McClung, his vo-ag teacher. He attended Potomac State College at Keyser, WV, for two years and transferred to West Virginia University, where he graduated in 1956 with a B. S. degree in vocational agriculture.
Richard taught school in Monroe County, WV, for seven years, and then worked for USDA Farmers Home Administration for 35 years. He retired and then went to work doing economic development for Monroe, Greenbrier and Pocahontas counties. When he started, they had no money, and when he retired, the organization was worth close to $20 million. He was proud of this accomplishment. The thing he was most proud of was his teaching at Greenville School, and he was very proud of his basketball teams, especially the last one.
He helped a lot of families while working for Farmers Home Administration. He was firm but fair, and he was proud to be a West Virginian and, most of all, an American.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a son, Michael Lee Ellard.
Richard was married for 64 years to his high school sweetheart, Anna C. “Kitty” Honaker Ellard. This love was from age 14 to death for both, and he will be waiting just on the other side for Kitty. Also surviving are a daughter, Kathy Ann Ellard Mann and her husband, Joe R.; he was the proud grandfather of two grandsons, Michael Robert Mann and Matthew Lee Mann, both college graduates; a brother, Arthur Raymond Ellard and wife, Almeda; a sister, Betty Jean Bennett; along with several nephews and nieces; and one special niece, Barbara Jean Bowles.
Funeral services were held at 2 PM Monday, January 1, 2018, at the Groves Funeral Home Chapel in Union, with the Rev. Frank Naglic officiating.
Burial followed in the Green Hill Cemetery at Union.
The family received friends at the Groves Funeral Home in Union from 12:30 PM until service time Monday, January 1.
Those wishing to send online condolences to the Ellard Family may do so by visiting www.grovesfuneralhome.com
Groves Funeral Home in Union is in charge of arrangements.
Obituary originally published in the January 2, 2018 edition of The West Virginia Daily News.
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