Patricia Ellen Bland Ferrell
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Coleman Funeral Home of Oxford
Mrs. Patricia Ellen Bland Ferrell, 85, passed away peacefully at her home on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, surrounded by her family. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, Ellen was served by her family for the last years of her life. A graveside service will be held Friday, November 6, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. at Oxford Memorial Cemetery. Eric Dahl will officiate. Coleman Funeral Home of Oxford is in charge of arrangements.
Ellen was an unofficial ambassador for the city of Oxford and for her beloved church, Oxford church of Christ. She was well known in Oxford as the owner of the Fabric Center. Ellen taught her employees to greet everyone who entered the store and to provide exceptional customer service. She made a habit of knowing everyone and all their descendants. She knew women who came into the store and who their children and grandchildren were. She never missed an opportunity to invite every person she met to her church.
As much as Ellen loved the store and being around people, there were two significant times that family took precedence over the store - the first time was when Kathy brought Ashley, Ellen's first grandchild, for her first visit. Ellen rushed out to grab Ashley, completely ignoring Kathy and everyone else. The second time was when her husband, Jack, became ill. Ellen was devoted to her family, and they were her top priority. Kathy remembers the first time Doug brought her home for a visit, Ellen had cookies and milk for them at 2:00 a.m. Kathy was not interested in cookies or milk at that time of night, but she sat and enjoyed them anyway because it was important to Ellen to make her welcome.
Ellen's grandchildren, Ashley and DC, were the highlight of her life. They have many happy memories of her. DC remembers getting shoes from her for every birthday, and he remembers her reading bedtime stories to him when he spent the night with her. She played endless games of monopoly with him. Ashley acknowledges that DC was Grandma Ellen's favorite, but she always knew she was Papaw Jack's favorite.
Ellen loved everybody, and she had the gift of drawing out the best in people. She made all conversations that she had all about the person she was talking to and never about herself. She didn't like arguing or even hearing other people argue, and she always saw the best in everyone.
Ellen's accomplishments include being Valedictorian of her senior class even though they would not bestow the honor on her because she transferred to the school too late. She received a scholarship to the University of Mississippi which was revoked because she spoke out in class against her professor who was teaching evolution. Because Ellen was extremely selfless, most of her family did not even know about these accomplishments.
Ellen is survived by her sons, Steven Edward Ferrell, Douglas Henry Ferrell (Kathy), and Thomas Burke Ferrell; her grandchildren, Ashley Ferrell Brown (John Paul) and Douglas Cargile "D.C." Ferrell (Carissa); her great grandson, Beau Brown; and her sisters, Brenda Weeks and Cecelia Nelson.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward Ashford "Jack" Ferrell; her parents, John Henry and Ida Pearl Bland; and her sister, Sybil Sparks.
Please leave online condolences on the Tribute Wall at www.colemanfuneralhome.com.