Tony Marcellus Ellis (Age 68) of Fort Washington, Maryland

Mr. Tony M. Ellis was born February 17, 1952, in Griffin, Georgia, during the turbulent Civil Rights era.  He was the eldest child of four from his mother, Annie Dora Parham Ellis and father, Anthony Ellis, Sr.  He was also the younger brother of several much older brothers and sisters from his father's first marriage. Tony met his bride-to-be at a Second Baptist Church singles cookout in Santa Ana, California and after an eight-month courtship, he married Jonna C. Ellis and they were married 30 years.

He developed leadership attributes at a young age.  While in the fourth grade, he determined that one day he would become a U.S. Marine and in January 1970, at the age of 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in the infantry.  He served one tour of duty in Vietnam. Tony was a Reservist from 1974 until 1983 and during that time he served as a Police Officer in Griffin and College Park, Georgia.  He felt the call to reenlist and transitioned into the Intelligence field with assignments as an Intelligence Officer, Chief, Recruiter and Intelligence Office Manager.  He had one deployment to Desert Shield/Storm and had numerous deployments to Korea, Japan, and other countries in the Pacific Rim. Tony retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1999 after 20 years of active service.

Tony began his civilian employment at the Defense Security Service as a Special Agent, prior to joining the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in 2000.  He was a member of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon during the attack on 9/11.  He served as an Investigative Technician, Intelligence Officer, Expert on Taiwan military, Team Lead with concentration on the Iraq Shia Sect, Foreign Disclosure Officer and Staff Officer.  Tony retired from DIA in 2017.

Tony accepted the the gift of salvation as a young man and was called to preach in 1991.  He has led many people to Christ and has preached the gospel in Denver, Colorado, Griffin Georgia, and Fort Washington, Maryland.  He was a member at Fort Foote Baptist Church in Fort Washington, Maryland where was a Minister in Training and participated in the Veteran's ministry and the Mighty Men of God ministry.

Tony and his wife Jonna, also a DIA employee, have lived an adventerous life in southern California; Koolau Hawaii, Denver, Colorado; Norfolk, Virginia; and Fort Washington, Maryland.  They are the proud parents of three children, Aleece, John and Grace; one son-in-law, Joshua Lowe, Sr., and two grandsons, Deshawn and Joshua, Jr.

Tony endured and persevered through several health challenges.  Although his family could not be at hospital in person, the compasionate medical staff at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, connected the family to his room via conference call, to say their final words, prayers, and praises on and at 11:07 a.m. October 21, 2020, he made his final transition to heaven.

Preceding Tony in glory is his mother, Annie Dora Parham Ellis, sisters, Mary Ellis Jones and Betty Phelps, brothers, Anthony Ellis, Jr. and John Ellis, mother and father-in-law, Emily and John Porch, and sister-in-law, Gail Porch.

Tony's memory will live on in the hearts of his devoted wife, Jonna, children, John, II, Aleece (Joshua, Sr.), and Grace, grandchildren, Deshawn and Joshua, Jr., father, Anthony Ellis, Sr., sister, Agnes Ellis-Asberry, brothers, Gerald Ellis and Bennie "Pee-Wee" Mann, sisters-in-law, Jackie Moultrie, Lillian Duerson, Cecilia Porch, and Lynn Ellis (Gerald), aunts, Elsa Gould, uncle, Thurman Gould, nieces, Paulette McCrory (William); Danielle Maynor; Joyce Ellis, Shelia Ellis; Sherrie Ellis; Phyllis Ellis; Georgette Thompson; Clarese Roberts; Tanya Phelps; April Duerson; Ashley Duerson (William), nephews, Jonathan Jones (Sherry); Randolph Jones (Judy); Gregory Jones; Vincent Jones (Luisa); Terra Phelps; Anthony Phelps, a devoted friend of over 40 years, Rodney Tyler, LtCoL (retired) and a host of great nieces, nephews, other family and friends.

His Viewing will be 10:00 am, until time of Service, 11:00 am, Friday, October 30, 2020, in the Chapel of Thornton Funeral Home, P.A., 3439 Livingston Road, Indian Head, Maryland 20640. The interment will be 11:00am, November 12, 2020, Arlington National Cemetery.

On Friday, October 30, 2020 at 11:00am,  please click on the link below to live stream the service.

Please make sure when viewing the services that the volume located in the right lower corner (where it says "live") on the viewing screen is turned up (the bars should be blue).

The streaming will begin after the final family viewing.  Therefore, there may be a delay before the service appears on the screen. Thank you.

https://www.thorntonfuneralhomepa.com/live-stream