Biography: Richard John Ellis, 79, of Little Rock, died on Wednesday, April 22, at St. Vincent Infirmary. Mr. Ellis was born on January 31, 1930, at Richfield, Ohio. He graduated from Richfield High School and attended Bowling Green University. Before his retirement, he was in the office supply business in Chicago, Memphis and Little Rock. He was an avid sports fan. For thirty-seven years he played an active role as a referee for college basketball and football and had the rule books for these games memorized by chapter and verse. With the advent of television, he was able to follow this lifelong interest to the end. Mr. Ellis was preceded in death by his wife, Marian, of Little Rock; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Ellis, and his brother and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Ellis, all of Ohio. Survivors include his son, Richard John Ellis, Jr., and his wife, Amy, and their children, Grace, Clara, Lily, and John, of Sandusky, Ohio; his daughters, Debbie Ellis Fullhart and husband, Gary, and children, Matthew and Christopher, of Sylvania, Ohio, and Nancy Ellis Hamilton and her husband, Dave, of Toledo, Ohio; his stepson, The Rev. Tony Alter and wife, Debbie, their children, Erin, Erica and John, and granddaughter, Savannah of Jefferson City, Missouri; and Mrs. Margaret Ellis Ahonen, his sister, of Cayuga Falls, Ohio. Arrangements are by Ruebel Funeral Home, www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.