Sister Marie Seitz dies at 82
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EMMITSBURG—Sister Marie Seitz, a Daughter of Charity who taught at Bishop England High School in Charleston, S.C., died on Feb. 17 at Villa St. Michael, senior care residence. She was 82.
The Mass of Christian Burial was Feb. 19 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, burial was in Sacred Heart Cemetery at St. Joseph House.
She was born in Oneida, N.Y., on Sept. 9, 1930, the daughter of George and Clara Wolff Seitz. She was baptized Marie and attended St. Joseph’s Parish in Oneida.
Sister Marie entered the Daughters of Charity Community in 1952. She attended St. Joseph College in Emmitsburg, where she graduated in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in secretarial science and a minor in elementary education.
In 1979, she earned her master’s degree in business education from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
Sister Marie was a teacher in Baltimore schools from 1960-1975. She taught at Bishop England from 1975-1980 and at a school in Bladensburg, Md., from 1980-1981.
She worked at St. Joseph Provincial House in the business office and as a liturgist from 1981-1996. She served in pastoral care at St. Catherine Laboure Manor in Emmitsburg from 1996-2002. In 2003, Sister Marie joined the prayer ministry at Villa St. Michael.
Sister Marie is survived by a brother, Father Paul F.X. Seitz of Charleston, S.C.
Donations in her memory may be made to the Daughters of Charity, Province of St. Louise, 4330 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63108.
Deacon Billy Ellis, retired USAF major general, dies
SUMTER—Deacon Billy Ellis, who served at St. Jude, St. Anne, and Shaw Air Force Base, died March 12. He was 84.
The Mass of Christian Burial was held March 17 at St. Anne. Burial will be at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.
He was born in DeQuincy, La., a son of the late Nolan Price Ellis and Lillian Isdale Ellis Perkins. He was a 1951 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and earned his master’s degree in business administration from George Washington University and a master’s in religious studies from Notre Dame Pontifical Catechetical Institute.
He was ordained in 1988 and also served in the Arlington diocese. He was awarded the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Medal, or the Cross of Honor, for distinguished service to the Church in 2007.
Deacon Ellis served over 30 years in the U.S. Air Force and flew one combat tour in Korea and three combat tours in Vietnam. He also flew a tour with the Thunderbirds, the USAF acrobatic team.
After retiring from the Air Force, he voluntarily flew sick patients across the U.S. for Mercy Medical Airlift. His military decorations include two Distinguished Service Medals, the Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal with 10 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.
He retired as the vice commander of 9th Air Force, Tactical Air Command from Shaw AFB in 1981.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Higginbotham, his children, Elaine Ellis of Phoenix, Ariz., Mark Ellis of Eureka, Calif., Kevin Ellis of Falls Church, Va., Yvonne Stoops of Collinsville, Conn., Adele Ference of Tampa, Fla., and Brian Ellis of Charlotte, N.C.; his sister, Betty Breaux of Baton Rouge, La.; his brother, Donald Ellis of San Antonio,Texas; and his grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to St. Anne Church, 216 E. Liberty St., Sumter, SC 29150; The Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675; or any charity of choice.