Esther Pamela “Pam” Hounshell Ellis, 67, went to be with the Lord Saturday, April 6, 2019, from Alzheimer’s. She was surrounded by her immediate family at her home.
She was a lifelong Peninsula resident and spent her last years living with her daughter, April Landino; and her two grandchildren, Brett and Makayla Landino.
Pam retired from the Newport News Shipyard, where she designed the commissioning nose cones for U.S. Navy submarine launches. She received several awards for her outstanding artistic ability from the Shipyard president along with other affiliated companies. Over the years, she owned two arts and crafts shops located in Toano and Matthews. Pam sold her artwork, including her beautiful paintings. Her late husband, Stan, built her a studio next to their home where she offered art classes and continued to sell her beautiful paintings and homemade crafts.
Pam was an avid lover of all animals and rescued a huge variety such as owls, ducks, dogs, turtles and many other species. She also loved spending time outside, whether it was on the water or in her yard planting flowers. She would tell her daughter that “she was playing in the yard” when she asked what she was doing.
Survivors include her daughters, April C. Herndon-Landino of Williamsburg and Renee Ellis-Wood of Boston; son, Rusty Howard of Williamsburg; siblings, Rocky Hounshell and Sheila Orgeron; and six grandchildren, Makayla and Brett Landino, Joe and Jolie Dowd and Haley and Trevor Howard.
The family will receive friends and family for visitation from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Friday, April 12, at Peninsula Funeral Home, Newport News. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m., Saturday, April 13, at Hilton Baptist Church, Main Street, Newport News. Interment will follow in Peninsula Memorial Park.
Flowers may be sent to the funeral home and donations to help with funeral expenses may be personally delivered to April at the visitation or funeral service, as she is the one taking care of all of the arrangements.
Share online condolences with the family at Peninsula Funeral Home.
