Howard Graves Ellington, 93, of Sylacauga, Alabama, passed away on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019.

Born on July 24, 1925 in Charleston, South Carolina, Howard was the son of Elmo Blassingame “Bloss” Ellington and Lois Wright Ellington, of Covington. He graduated from the Heard-Mixon High School in Covington in 1942. Howard was a WWII Veteran, stationed in Company C, 302nd infantry regiment, 94th infantry division. He was Honorably Discharged 1946. He went on to attend the University of Georgia Forestry School, graduating in 1950. He began work for Kimberly-Clark later that year, where he continued working as a forester for more than 35 years until his retirement.

Howard was the epitome of a southern gentleman. He delighted in telling stories and tall tales. He enjoyed nature and the outdoors, fishing, horses, traveling, vegetable gardening, and was famous for his Brunswick stew. He loved life and treasured his friends and his family. He was a member of the American Legion Post 45 in Sylacauga and a former member of High Point Baptist Church in Covington, where he sang in the church choir and helped start the Young at Heart Club with his wife, Mary.

Howard is survived by his three sons, Curtis Randolph “Randy” Ellington (Lynda) of Greenville, South Carolina, Don Ellington (Marcia) of Birmingham, Alabama, and Bob Ellington (Karen) of Hazel Green, Alabama; five grandchildren, Mary Adam (Paul), Anna Broomfield (John), Leigh Graves Ellington, Sean Ellington, and David Ellington; and four great-grandchildren, Kai and Grayson Broomfield and Leira and Edie Johnson. 

In addition to his parents, Howard was preceded in death by his first wife, Leira Faye Hamby Ellington, his second wife, Mary Henry Ellington, and his two sisters, Blanche Jones and Janet Parker.  

A visitation will be held Saturday Feb. 16 from 1 to 1:45 p.m. Central time at Curtis and Son Funeral Home, 1315 Old Talladega Hwy, Sylacauga, Alabama. The funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. A military entombment will be held graveside, followed by a reception at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to the B.B. Comer Memorial Library in Sylacauga (https:www.bbcomerlibrary.net) or American Legion Post 45, Sylacauga.  Online memorials may be made at www.curtisandsonfh.com. Curtis and Son Funeral Home North Chapel will direct the service.