James R. Ellena

Mass of Christian Burial for James R. “Jim” Ellena, 61, Cathedral City, Calif., will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Lawrence. Burial will follow in the Mount Calvary Cemetery in Lawrence. Mr. Ellena died Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, at his home in California.He was born Sept. 20, 1947, in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., the son of John A. “Jack” and Norma Silverthorn Ellena.He moved to Lawrence with his family in 1968.Mr. Ellena attended Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Mo., and Kansas University.He also served in the U.S. Army Reserves during the Vietnam War era.He worked for his dad in the Jack Ellena Buick & Oldsmobile dealership in Lawrence from 1968 to 1979.He then opened his own dealership, Jim Ellena Honda in St. Charles, Mo. He returned to Lawrence to work with his family in the local dealership and eventually purchased it from his dad in 1985. He operated that dealership until 1999, along with several other franchises. He has been semi-retired since then.While in Lawrence, he was a member of the Noon Rotary Club and the Lawrence Country Club.Throughout his career, he was a member of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA).Survivors include a son, Joel Ellena, Windsor, Colo.; two daughters, Jill Ellena, Overland Park, and Betsey Mooney, Mission; his mother, Lawrence; a brother, John Ellena, Lawrence; two sisters, Gail Ellena Vick and Denise Ellena Berland, both of Lawrence; and a grandson, Jack Anthony Ellena.The family suggests memorials to Catholic Social Services, sent in care of the Warren-McElwain Mortuary.Online condolences may be sent at warrenmcelwain.com, subject: Ellena.