Theresa Marie Ellis

Theresa” Terry” Marie Millious Ellis, age 86, passed away on 7 February, 2025. Terry is survived by her husband, Jerry, and brother Charles Millious. She is preceded in death by her parents, Charles Franklin Millious and Martha Hoppe Millious, sisters Joan C. Mattes and Mary A. Muhl, and brother James Millious. Terry grew up in Syracuse, New York, and was working as an executive secretary at Niagara Mohawk Power Co. when she met her future husband, Jerry, who was attending the Advanced Russian Language School run by Syracuse University for the Air Force. She gave up her friends, extended family, and stable career for the adventures and uncertainties of life as wife of an Air Force intelligence professional. They were married for 55 years.

Their first assignment was in Frankfurt, Germany, where she learned German in order to shop and talk with their neighbors. She figured out what Jerry was doing by reading the headlines of world newspapers and magazines. Meanwhile, she worked for the Passenger Reservations Center at Rhein-Main Air Base in Frankfurt. Jerry’s next assignment was to an even more advanced Russian course at Monterey, California, followed by an assignment at the embassy in Helsinki, Finland. Again, they lived among the natives and learned survival Finnish. Embassy life included diplomatic receptions and membership in the Bridge Club. Terry’s Bridge partner was often a very gracious princess of Nepal, married to the Indian Ambassador, a colleague of Gandhi and Nehru. During the CSCE meetings in Helsinki, she met President Ford and got waves from Queen Elizabeth. She stayed in touch and visited with Finnish friends.

Next, Terry followed Jerry to the American Embassy, Moscow, USSR. There she worked for the Press attaché and Chief of the US Information Agency (USIA), where she worked with journalists and handled cultural exchanges. Before their assignment was completed, a disastrous fire damaged most of the embassy, presenting major challenges to accomplish her mission. Jerry was reassigned to the Washington, D.C. area. Terry worked two years for USIA, then worked 17 years for the Hershey Chocolate Co. office in Columbia, Maryland. The travel bug had bitten Terry, and she loved traveling either on vacation or to join Jerry on temporary assignments all over Europe, and later to Australia, New Zealand, China, Korea, Japan, and other Asian countries.

While vacationing from Moscow in 1977, Terry and Jerry discovered the Alabama Gulf Coast and decided this would be their eventual home. She joined Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church and was active in directing social activities at their condominium in Orange Beach, joining exercise programs, and walking the local trails and beaches. She loved food and hosted New Year’s parties, serving Southern traditional dishes such as Ham and Black-eyed Peas along with dishes she learned while immersed in foreign cultures on military and diplomatic assignments in Germany (Sauerbraten), Finland (Piirakkapohja), and Russia (borshch with pirozhki). 

Her memorial service will be held at 11 am on Saturday, February 15 in the chapel at the Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Home in Foley Alabama. The family will receive friends one hour prior to service time. Her ashes will be interred at the Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo, Alabama at a later date.

In lieu of flowers please donate to Christian Service Center or Our Lady of the Gulf Church.

Following the Service attendees are invited to a Celebration of Life at Luna’s Pub in Orange Beach.

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