Houston Obituaries: Remembering Lives Lost in Houston This Week [12/17/21]

Legacy.com Pictured are Erle Ellis (top left), Elizabeth Davis (top right), Laurence Adams (bottom left) and Orenzer Carroll.

Many families are in mourning this week in Houston after the loss of their loved ones. They include a clinical psychologist, a great-great grandmother, and a longtime teacher who served children at the Astrodome following Hurricane Katrina, and a longtime Shell Oil employee remembered by his daughter in a humorous and poignant tribute.

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Here are some of the lives lost this week:

Erle Dean Ellis, 85

Groff Funeral HomesErle Ellis.

Erle Dean Ellis, formerly of Houston, died December 13, 2021, at age 85. Ellis was a longtime employee of Shell Oil in Houston. He was memorialized by his youngest daughter in an obituary filled with humor and tender moments.

“He showed up at Heaven’s glorious gate with a golf club in his right hand and a stiff gin in his left. Spread across his face was his trademark mischievous grin as if he were saying, ‘I have come prepared!'” his daughter wrote.

She described him as “loyal, generous, hilarious, successful, supportive, whip smart, feisty, stubborn and unwavering.”

“To me, he was my anchor,” she continued. “He was the dad that whistled tunes for all my friends, showed up to all my games and events, and never missed an opportunity to challenge me and make me laugh. We were the dad and daughter duo that left no stone unturned and had true unconditional love.”

Dr. Laurence Abrams, Ph.D., 84

Geo. H. Lewis & Sons Funeral HomeDr. Laurence Adams

Dr. Laurence Abrams, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in Houston, died Thursday, December 16, 2021, at age 84, according to his obituary. In his honor, his children set up a scholarship program for clinical psychology Ph.D. candidates at the University of Texas, the obituary says.

Orenzer Carroll, 102

Troy B. Smith Professional ServicesOrenzer Carroll

Orenzer Carroll, a longtime Sunnyside resident, died at age 102 December 8, 2021. Carroll lived to see the birth of many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren, her obituary says. Her obituary says she passed away “surrounded by her loving family” after spending her life devoted to her family members, including her late husband, James E. Carroll Sr.

Elizabeth “Libby” Powers Davis, 75

Geo. H. Lewis & Sons Funeral HomeElizabeth Davis.

Elizabeth “Libby” Powers Davis of Houston died at age 75 December 12, 2021, leaving behind two children and three grandchildren. Davis taught for 30 years and was named Teacher of the Year in 1970, her obituary says. She was one of 50 Houston-based teachers who were selected to teach children staying at the Astrodome following Hurricane Katrina.

“One of her fondest memories was when she moved to Vail in the early 1970s and she opened a shop called ‘Fancy Plants,'” her obituary says. “She made the Christmas wreath for President Gerald Ford’s door when he skied there. During this time Libby also acquired a love for the outdoors and Colorado wildlife while diving deeper into her lifelong passion for working on her artwork. She always had art supplies ready to be used at her home, and often her supplies were even with her in her purse so that she could work on her paintings any chance she had.”

She returned to Vail in 2015 where an encounter with a fox spurred the creation of a children’s book, “The Tale of Frederica the Fox,” which included illustrations from her students “and will be a cherished memory enhancing her legacy,” her obituary says.