Manotick Kiwanis Club Proud to Have Had Larry Ellis as a Member

By Ralph Tweedie, Manotick Kiwanis Club

Sadly, Manotick has lost a well-loved local hero, Larry Ellis at the wonderful age of 93. His ever-present gentle smile will be greatly missed. Larry moved to Manotick in 1945 as a teenager and spent his entire adult life here. He was well known for his heart warming articles in the Manotick Messenger. His books on the history of the region are available at Office Pro. He was a prolific writer who could paint a picture and evoke warm memories with his words.

He was very involved in Manotick “happenings” and was known as the village historian. Larry volunteered at Watson’s Mill, developed walking tours of the village and hosted many videos. Search Google “Larry Ellis Stories of Manotick” to find his series, “Larry’s Fireside Stories”.

His bi-weekly stories in the Messenger often focused on his pride of the village of Manotick and its history. He shared his fond memories of days gone by.

Larry was the recipient of a number of awards including the Distinguished Award for Civic Heritage, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, and the Diamond Jubilee Medal. 

Larry had a way of making everyone feel at home. One fellow Kiwanian remembers her first meeting. “At my first dinner meeting after joining Kiwanis, I walked into the Legion not knowing anyone. Larry looked at my name tag and recognized my family name. He made me feel so welcome, something I will never forget. We became fast friends. I enjoyed his stories and sense of humour so much throughout the years. I will certainly miss him.”

Caring words from his neighbours and friends:

“Larry Ellis was a delightful man who lived not far from us in the village. His sense of humour caused many a giggle and his skill with words was enviable. Always a man with a story, he loved the village and delighted in his ability to put its history on paper. He always had a smile and a comment whenever he met someone in the village. He spoke of having a charmed marriage, a wonderful family, great friends and a lively community. He often said one could wish for no more. The world will miss him but he missed his Gwen and now they will walk hand in hand again.”

“I do remember how much he cared for his flowers, they were always show stoppers and he knew not only their common names but also the scientific names for everything he grew. Larry had a passion for the village and wanted everyone to know all about events and situations in Manotick. He enjoyed researching and writing about our town. Jim Stewart carried his books about different topics that were part of the history of Manotick. He was generous with his time and his knowledge and would say, “Oh posh” if you tried to give him a compliment. He encouraged young writers to not give up. “Keep writing, keep writing, keep writing” was what he said to our granddaughter when he heard she had written a book of poetry.”

A caretaker who knew the Ellis family spoke of how dedicated Larry was to caring for his wife Gwen during her final years. She described him as a “warm, kind, and gentle man.”

Larry was a proud Kiwanian and we are honoured to have had him as a member for more than 17 years. His warm smile and cheerful demeanor will be missed.