Marcelle deBuys Ellis

Marcelle deBuys Ellis (Mrs. T.C.W. Ellis III) died of natural causes at her home on Easter Sunday, April 8th at the age of 75. Mrs. Ellis was a lifelong resident of New Orleans.
She was the daughter of Brenda Marcelle Fox (daughter of Berthe Marie Pitot and Crichton Brooke Beresford Fox) and Herbert Fowler deBuys (son of Miriam Girling Duggan and Dr. Laurence "Laurie" Richard DeBuys) and was born in New Orleans at Touro Infirmary on July 8, 1936. For most of her childhood, she lived with her parents and grandparents in the Fox family home at the corner of State and Prytania streets.
Mrs. Ellis graduated from the Louise S. McGehee School in 1954, where she made cherished friendships she maintained throughout her life.
She attended Newcomb College of Tulane University, where she was a member of Pi Beta Phi, and attended summer school at the University of Wisconsin. She later returned to Tulane when her children were grown to complete her studies, majoring in art, studying abroad in Cortona, Italy, and received the Alice Peak Reiss Award for Art.
During her debut year in 1956, she was chosen to be a maid in the courts of the Twelfth Night Revelers, The Atlanteans, the Krewe of Proteus, and the Babbling Bastards of Bruno's.
On February 2, 1957, she married Thomas Cargill Warner Ellis, III, (son of Lelia Marguerite Rightor and Ezekiel Parke Ellis II), her beloved husband of 51 years and an attorney in the City, who predeceased her in 2008.
After her marriage, her husband's law practice took the family to Bogota, Colombia in 1961, where they lived for two years before returning to New Orleans permanently.
For a number of years, Mrs. Ellis owned Latitudes, a shop specializing in Indonesian and Chinese antiques, and she traveled to Asia to acquire items for her shop. Together with her husband and friends, she loved to travel and visited Europe and Latin America throughout her life. Mrs. Ellis was a long-time member and sustainer of the Junior League of New Orleans, and volunteered extensively for the Preservation Resource Center and other charitable organizations.
Mrs. Ellis was a life-long parishioner of the Most Holy Name of Jesus Church, the church designed by her great-uncle Rathbone DeBuys, and where she was baptized, received First Communion, was confirmed and married, and regularly attended.
Mrs. Ellis is survived by her four children: Laurie Parke Ellis Doyle (John Warren Doyle), Thomas Cargill Warner Ellis IV, Duggan Fowler Ellis (Dr. Blesilda "Bessie" Quiniones), and John Cothran Ellis (Anna Margaret Burge). She is also survived by her brothers, James Willoughby deBuys, Brook Taylor deBuys (Rosanna) and Michael Fox deBuys (Paula), as well as her brother-in-law, Frederick Stephen Ellis (Haydee Lafaye) and her sister-in-law, Joan Gillis Ellis Inman.
She is also survived by her eight grandchildren: Kathleen Duggan ("Kaydee") Doyle, John Warren Doyle, Jr. (Heather Millican), Patrick Rightor Doyle and Taylor Bronson Doyle; Marcelle Adelaida Ellis and Brenda Marguerite Ellis; and Miriam deBuys Ellis and Susan Sledge Ellis.
A graveside memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 14th, 2012 at 2:00PM at the Rathbone-deBuys-Ellis tomb in Metairie Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Louise S. McGehee School preferred.
To view and sign the guest book, visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com.