Ella Rae (Ellie Meickles) Myers, 77, of Alum Creek went home to be with the Lord on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Lenzie Wilmer “Banjo” and Ida Katherine Harrison Meickles and siblings, Mona Jean Gullian Barnhart, Vada Lee Gullian Mooney, Virginia Evelyn Gullian Harless, Dorothy Jane Meickles Thaxton, Glenvil Wilmer Meickles, and a precious infant daughter, Kimberly Ann Myers, and brother-in-law Bob Thaxton.
She is survived by her sisters Delores Ann Meickles Hill (Bob), Rebecca Ruth Meickles Phipps, of Alum Creek, and brother Lenzy Meickles (Brenda) of Hurricane, WV, her children, Les Myers, Laura Marker (Steve) and Melissa Kelly (Todd) all of Alum Creek, WV, and their father, Lloyd Myers of South Charleston, WV.
Ellie is survived by eight grandchildren, Ariel Belcher, Sam Stover, Alex Stover, Dalten Belcher (Jenna), Kennedi Myers, Seth Marker, Ben Myers, Addisyn Kelly, and one great-grandchild, Slayton Belcher. Additionally, she left to grieve her memory three sisters-in-law, Kay Dotson McClung (Mike), Carolyn Dotson Pauley (Arl) and Jean Meickles, as well as countless special nieces and nephews.
Ellie graduated from Washington District High School in Alum Creek, WV, and attended West Virginia State University. She was a dedicated employee with 51+ years of service to Debord Public Accounting. She barely missed a day of work in all of that time; having a tremendous work ethic. She called so many friends that she worked with over the years and many were still in touch right up until the end.
Ellie balanced her career with the raising of her children, always being there to run them to a practice or a friend’s house and there was never a time that she didn’t have breakfast and dinner on the table, every single day. She loved working outside, she had a witty sense of humor and loved to laugh and make others laugh. Although she loved people, she was never much for a crowd and never wanted the attention on her. So many of her kind actions and deeds we will never know as she wasn’t one to brag about them. She was a true cutup and always had others laughing and shaking their heads. She was forever being called ornery and rotten by her nurses and doctors.
She made sure as her time got close to tell each of us that she had lived a good life and was happy with it. Part of that happiness was her role of “Granny”. She loved her grandchildren so much and was so proud of them. She never missed a chance to tell you about where they were, what kind of education they had, where they worked, how pretty they were (haha) and how smart they were. She also enjoyed embroidery and made each grandchild a keepsake quilt among other things like pillowcases, table runners, etc. She never left a gathering or got off of a phone call with them without saying be good and be careful.
Ellie was also quite a poet and wrote a number of poems over the years. Each year for Christmas she wrote one for her kids and read them aloud on Christmas Eve. This original piece was written by her when she was a mere 13 year old. Since Ellie left us on Easter Sunday, it only feels fitting to share this poem:
Before we hide and hunt eggs this year,
Let’s make a big correction.
Instead, let’s think of this day
As a day of resurrection.
Christ arose up from the grave
Long ago on this day.
He did not hide or hunt eggs,
For in the grave He lay.
But then he rose up from the tomb
And went to reign on high
With the Almighty God, His Father,
Beyond the deep blue sky.
If you knew this special person that we loved so much, we count you blessed. She was a one of a kind woman that was independent before it was a thing. #begood #becareful #weloveyougranny
Special thanks to her primary caregivers, Les (son) and to Tammy Hartwell, they were there for her day and night. Graveside service will be 2:30pm Friday, April 17, 2020 with Pastor Tommy Roberts officiating at Graceland Memorial Park, South Charleston, WV.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Manna Meal, Kanawha Animal Shelter or The WV Childrens Home Society.
