Mike Ellis died unexpectedly on December 14, 2020, at the age of 54.
"Chubba," as he was affectionately known by so many, loved a good time and was a brilliant mind.
His intelligence and wit were often unparalleled.
Mike was a man of deep religious convictions and loved learning about his beloved Catholic faith and he was a loving father, grandfather and father-in-inlaw.
He had two brothers, Clayton and Tim.
Mike spent 18 years teaching for Sault Area Schools where he spent much of his time guiding students with learning disabilities enrolled in the district's special education programs and teaching social studies at the high school level.
In his memory, the Mike Ellis Memorial Scholarship Fund was established.
And now you can help with the cause.
A book sale will be held at Eagle Radio 95.1fm, located at 1500 Ashmun Street (next to Neville's) Wednesday, Aug. 9, from 4-6 p.m. The cost of the books is by donation.
Mike's brother Tim is the owner of Eagle Radio 95.1fm.
"Most books are from Mike's personal collection and are filled with political, religious, historical, and books about music, among other topics. Mike was an avid reader and had an extensive book selection. By helping the memorial fund, we are continuing his legacy as a Sault High teacher, positively affecting the lives of Sault High students," Ellis said.
Tim took time out of his busy day at the radio station to answer some questions and to describe Mike.
1) Describe Mike growing up as a brother....how did he get along (or not!) with you and Clayton?
I grew up the youngest of three, with my two older brothers being one year apart, and then 6 and 7 years between them and myself. So I always looked up to and envied the relationship Clayton and Mike got to have. Growing up and running the streets together, going to school together, they were inseparable. So for a lot of my life, I often felt like an only child growing up because they were off doing their things with their friends.
However, despite the age difference, my brothers and myself had a solid relationship. In the younger years it was the typical older brothers beating up and having fun picking on the baby brother, and oh the stories I have about those moments, but that can be for another time. Then as we all grew older, we became adult siblings, and that’s when the bonds really started and respect as adult-to-adult took hold.
Even in the younger years though, Mike and I had our connections through music, specifically KISS, loving a good book about ghosts and UFOs, and specifically watching really bad (good) ‘B’ horror movies and laughing all the way through them. And we can’t forget the numerous wrestling matches on the living room floor as I got older and could hold my own. Anyone who knew Mike knew that he was the life of the party without even trying, so it was always easy to just hang out with him. I was a lucky person to grow up with two older brothers I looked up to.
2) How did Mike become so liked as a teacher by his students?
As a family, we always knew/believed Mike to be a good teacher, but sadly it wasn’t until after his death that we realized what an amazing teacher he was and what an impact he had on many of his students.
I think it all goes back to his personality. He was truly the life of the party when he was in a room. Always telling jokes and stories. It just came natural to him to be able to communicate with other people in an open and easy way. Not to mention, Mike had a heart of gold, which he tried to hide that soft side from a lot of people.
But when it came to his students, he would go above and beyond to help in any way that he could. Again, all of this we learned after he passed. So many students and parents came forward to share their stories on how he touched their lives. Even today, almost three years later, we still hear the stories, and as a family, they mean the world to us.
Mike graduated from Lake Superior State University with a bachelor's in history and a master's in learning disabilities. He spent 18 years teaching for Alma mater, Sault Area High School where he spent much of his time helping, teaching and guiding students with learning disabilities enrolled in the district's special education programs. Mike also taught social studies at the high school level.
3) Mike was a huge sports fan, wasn't he?
I can’t even say for sure that Mike was a Lions fan. I am sure he watched a few games, but when it came to sports it was ALWAYS hockey. His love for the game was second to none. On any given night you could find him cheering on the Sault High Blue Devils, LSSU Lakers and the Detroit Red Wings. Or many nights, watching any game he could find on TV, no matter the team, just to be watching hockey.
4) Tell us more about the scholarship in memory of Mike.
The Mike Ellis Memorial Scholarship was started so that Mike’s legacy would continue to have a positive and loving effect on Sault High Students. It was established in 2021 by our family. The graduating senior should be an outgoing, people-oriented student, who enjoys creating positive school spirit both in and out of the classroom. The student’s infectious positive attitude should work to improve morale for both students and staff, making Sault High a better place, just like Mike did as both a student and teacher.
Each year a graduating senior is chosen by a committee of teachers. The chosen student receives a scholarship for $1,000.00 which can be used for college or trade school.
5) Mike was an avid reader. What did he like to read?
As much as Mike loved a good party, watching hockey, or listening to music in his free time, it was also not uncommon to find him buried in a book. Mike was an avid reader and had an extensive collection of books. His favorite topics to read on were music, religion, and politics.
After Mike's passing, some of his books were donated to pocket libraries, but there are still many left that can go to someone who also wants to read and self-educate as Mike did. He never wanted to stop learning and he kept that alive through his books. We want to see these books in the hands of people who will enjoy them as much as Mike did.
Most of the books are from Mike’s personal collection, but others have also been donated to the cause to help raise money. All sales will be by donations, and all donations will be given directly to the Mike Ellis Memorial Scholarship Fund to continue to help Sault students for many years to come.
The book sale will continue on Wednesdays until the books have all been sold. If the weather is good, we will be outside. If the weather is bad, we will be inside.
