Chesterton resident Dennis H. Ellis passed away Thursday, July 15, at the VNA Hospice in Valparaiso surrounded by his loving family. He was 62.

Dennis worked as a steelworker for U.S. Steel and was a member of the United Steelworker Union 1014. He was very involved in service work for many years at the 5th Street Club in Wheeler and was a Freebird motorcycle member.

He is survived by his wife, Kay Ellis of Chesterton; son David Ellis of Hobart; stepson David (wife Melissa) Fite of Chesterton; daughter Susan (husband Oliver) Ellis-Saller of Pachfurth, Austria; step-mother Evelyn Ellis of Hobart; brother Mike (Effie) Ellis of Hobart; brother Terry (Cindy) Ellis of Elkhart; sister Dottie (Mike) Rovner of Geneva, Ill.; and six grandchildren Ashton, Sasha, Kendall, Maddux, Henri and Edgar.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Eugene Ellis and Catherine (nee Spreng) Ellis; brother Patrick Ellis; and sister Laurie Miller.

A funeral service celebrating the life of Dennis was held Monday, July 19 at noon at Rees Funeral Home, 600 West Old Ridge Road, Hobart. Visitation was held Sunday, July 18. Memorials may be made to the Visiting Nurse Association, 2401 Valley Drive, Valparaiso, Ind., 46383 or the American Cancer Society, 1551 E. 85th Ave., Merrillville, Ind., 46410. For more information, call 219-942-2109 or online at reesfuneralhomes.com

Posted 7/19/2010