William T. Ellis

Jul 29, 1947 -

Mar 18, 2022

Longtime Eagle River, Alaska, resident William "Bill" Thomas Ellis, 74, died on March 18, 2022, while staying at Providence Alaska Medical Center after a hard-fought battle with cancer.

A celebration of life will be held on March 27, 2022, at the Alliance Christian Fellowship, 16610 Brooks Loop in Eagle River, at 5 p.m.

Bill was born on July 29, 1947, in Grass Valley, Calif., to Allan and Mary Ellis. He spent his formative years traveling the country and living in Germany as a "military brat" until ultimately graduating from Sparks High School in Nevada and enrolling in the Mackay School of Mines' geology program.

Before he could complete the program, Bill was drafted into the Army in 1967. He would then go on to fight in the Vietnam War as an infantryman in A co, 2nd battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. Staff Sergeant Ellis was awarded the Silver Star Medal for his actions on hill 937, aka Hamburger Hill. Before being released from active duty in 1969, he was also awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, two Air Medals and Army Commendation Medal with "V" device for valor displayed in combat.

After returning home, Bill completed his Bachelor of Science in geology and began his trek north to Alaska. He spent several years bouncing back and forth between the Northwest Territories, northern Idaho and the Brooks Range in Alaska before finally moving to Eagle River in 1979, where he would live for the rest of his life. In 1999, Bill co-founded Alaska Earth Sciences in Anchorage, where he worked until his retirement in 2021.

Bill met his beloved wife Carolyn in Alaska and they married on March 23, 1990, in the Cook Islands. They shared four children, Brian, Morgan, Melissa and William, between them and six grandchildren. Bill is also survived by his siblings, Victor, Richard, Susan and Karel.

Bill loved fishing, hiking, camping, downhill skiing and traveling with Carolyn and their two dogs, Rosie and Lily.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Alliance Christian Fellowship.

To share words of comfort with the family, please go to legacyalaska.com.