Gladys Ellis was born on November 25, 1939 in Washington, D.C. She was the second eldest of six children born to the late James Walter Myers and Edith Young. As a child, Gladys, affectionately known as “Jamali”, was one of the most gentle and nurturing people that you would ever meet. She loved to play with all of her siblings often inventing creative games that would keep them laughing and having fun for hours. In fact, her imagination was so bright that she could turn simple newspapers into the most beautiful paper dolls a child had ever seen. Cooking was also her specialty; in home economics she learned to make delicious treats like apple cake, peanut brittle, and biscuits. Always the teacher, Gladys shared her lessons and easily taught her siblings the art of baking. She was also quite an athlete often playing punch ball on her block. Gladys was regularly voted to be the captain of most teams and neighborhood children longed to be picked for her side.

In the summer of 1963, Gladys attended a church revival along with her sister Theodora and was immersed in baptism devoting her life to Christ. She faithfully attended Miracle Revival Church in Brooklyn and would occasionally visit the Washington Temple Church of God in Christ. She later found love and married Randolph Ellis who preceded her in death sometime in the 1970s.

Gladys valued education and dreamt of going to college. She graduated from John Adams High School and was fortunate to quickly land a prestigious job at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). At a time when people of color experienced many barriers to obtaining higher education, the UNCF reinforced her dreams of graduating from college and having a better life. Eventually, she attended CUNY Medgar Evers College and later transferred to CUNY York College where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts and Childhood Education. She began teaching for the New York City Board of Education shortly after graduating college in 1979.

In 1982, she gave birth to her daughter and only child, Kendra Ellis whom she loved dearly and constantly doted over. Gladys then decided to leave her teaching career to devote more time to her beloved daughter. She home schooled Kendra in early childhood and taught her to serve others who are less fortunate, believe in herself, dream big, and to never stop learning. Gladys and Kendra truly had an unbreakable lifelong bond. In addition to all of her wonderful attributes, Gladys was an extremely talented and self-taught pianist. Her love of the piano continued throughout the years and despite being in a nursing home, she used her gift to uplift and inspire others until the time of her death on March 29, 2017.

We are thankful to our Lord and Savior for Gladys’ rich legacy as she leaves to cherish her memory her beloved daughter, Kendra Ellis; sisters, Marlene Stewart, Theodora “Terri” Richardson (husband Raymond), and Veronica Williams; brothers, James Myers (wife Rose) and Steve Corley (wife Janine); aunt, Lucille Kimble; nieces, Donna Williams, Shanna Stewart, Taryn Myers, Tamar Myers-Moffat, Christine Myers, Nikka Myers, and Shareeka Godfrey-White; nephews, Blake Stewart, John T. Smalls, Jay Myers, and Neil Corley; and a host of other relatives and friends who have been touched by her life and will continue to spread the love and laughter that Gladys brought into the world

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