Elsie May “Bunny” Ellis
December 6, 1922 – October 5, 2016
After a pack a day for 70 years, mom passed quietly at VGH at 93 on October 5, 2016. “Only the good die young” she would say, smiling with her deep gravel voice, then would add, “I’m naughty but nice.” Impish would be a good word. Born Elsie May Williams in Saskatoon on Dec 06, 1922, she was universally known as “Bunny.” Mom is survived by her three kids, spouses, three grandchildren and little Nixon, her great-grandson, and predeceased by her husband Bob.
Mom made things, friends and objects d’art. In her mid-50s she took a hobby out of the basement to Bunny Hutch Ceramics, the largest ceramic and porcelain wholesaler on the island. Not satisfied with that, she mastered, then taught china painting to hundreds of soon-to-be friends. She smoked two packs those days, and returning everyone’s lighter at the end of the night always brought laughs. Naughty but nice. Mom retired to the waterfront Otter Point home she and Bob built, and kept making things, from stained-glass windows to beautiful gardens to friends. Mom always made friends.
A single mom with three kids under ten, 8 and 3, Mom always worked hard, but never forgot she was mom first. Mom had a, “How can I help?” disposition, was always interested in you and rarely talked about herself. Mom was a welcoming spirit, generous to a fault and a genuinely happy person with a strong belief in the future; she never looked back, always “So, what do we do now?” Saving her from sainthood was her sense of humor and willingness to break the rules, a bit. Naughty but nice.
The family thanks the Sooke/Otter Point firemen and BC Ambulance paramedics. You were wonderful. The pharmacy staff at Sooke Shoppers for patiently changing blister packs. The staff at VGH Emergency, 6 North and 7 North. You brought her back from broken vertebrae, hip, arm and, so many times, from record-setting COPD. And we thank the entire staff of Ayre Manor. You made it a real home for mom, and Nancy and Pat deserve medals, or bonuses. It’s nice to work with professionals. Mom’s positive personality combined your excellent service, from dispatch to discharge to dinner, explained how mom was able to live on ten years past her expiry date.
The family would like to invite you to a Celebration of Bunny’s Extraordinary life at 2pm on October 16 at Sooke Baptist Church, 7110 West Coast Rd., Sooke. Please let Greg know (at sookabilly@gmail.com) if you’d like to say a few words about Bunny. We would love that. Finally, in lieu of flowers please make a donation to the Salvation Army, St. Vincent de Paul or a local foodbank.