Ellis Ginn

Ellis Eugene Ginn was born September 13, 1948 to the late Ray Ginn, Jr. and Doris Caron Ginn in George West, TX and left this earthly life on January 5, 2022 at the age of 73.

Ellis was the eldest of four children and is preceded in death by his father, Ray Ginn, Jr.

He is survived by his mother, Doris Ginn of Beeville; two daughters, Melissa (Chris) Thomas of Beeville and Tracie (Jeff) Spears of Pawnee; his beloved companion and partner of 15 years, Renelle Romine and her two sons, Mason (Megan) Forman of Victoria and Brent Romine of U.S. Marines in Okinawa, Japan; two brothers, Rodney (Danette) Ginn of McMullen County and Mark (Rose Ann) Ginn of Live Oak County; and one sister, Gwenyth (Bill) Burris of Beeville. He is also survived by seven grandchildren, Michael Ginn, Eryka Thomas (Leroy Martinez) and Nycole Thomas, Amanda (Garrett) Bond, David Coffey III, Aiden Forman and Nolan Forman; as well as five great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Ellis, better known to his family and friends as Nubbin (a nickname given him by his maternal grandfather), moved to Beeville with his parents at the age of 2, and he attended BISD schools, graduating A.C. Jones High School and becoming a charter class member of Bee County College when it opened in 1967. Nubbin’s hobbies included fishing, hunting, ranching, boating and golfing and in younger years, motorcycling and flying. He was a member by baptism of First Baptist Church of Beeville since his elementary years in the late 50’s through 1972, leaving for a few years with his job and returning December 1975 from which time he served as an usher, greeter and choir member until he was no longer able. Nubbin was a Christian and dearly loved his Lord. Many church members in the past have commented that when Nubbin would lift the offertory prayer and ask for rain, it would rain.

Along with his parents, Nubbin learned to fly a single engine airplane in the mid 60’s, achieving his first solo at age 16. When his parents purchased their business, Cox Moving and Storage Co. in 1963, he worked for them until he became interested in law enforcement as a descendent of Beeville’s first Chief of Police, his paternal grandfather, Ray Ginn Sr. In 1972, he was accepted into the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Highway Patrol Academy, graduating class A72, leaving Beeville and assigned to his first duty station in Gonzales until 1975 when he transferred back home to serve the remainder of his career in Beeville. He simultaneously served as a volunteer firefighter with Beeville Fire Department for over 18 years and served as a dedicated DPS Trooper for 27 years, achieving membership in the DPS’ Quarter Century Club retiring in Beeville in 1999 as a Senior Trooper, Recruit Driving Instructor and Field Training Officer for trooper trainees. Through his retirement, he continued to maintain the designation of Special Ranger. He, along with Mike Showalter, chartered the local “I’ve Got Your 6” fellowship, referred to as the “roundtable” and local members meet on Saturday mornings for breakfast at a local restaurant. Nubbin lived by the Biblical motto of the I’ve Got Your 6, which is John 15:13, Greater love hath no man than this; that a man lay down his life for his friends . Nubbin leaves a legacy of citizens who have offered hundreds of testimonies in their condolences on social media of how he steered them down a straight path or taught them to drive responsibly or how he protected them from harm. Nubbin used his DPS Trooper position to offer guidance and positive persuasion for those whom he came in contact with to abide within the laws of Texas.

Visitation will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, January 9, at Galloway & Sons Funeral Home.

The funeral service will be conducted at 1 p.m. Monday, January 10, at First Baptist Church with Rev. Homer Hanna officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to South Texas Children’s Home, P.O. Box 1210, Beeville, TX 78104-1210.