Obituary
Ellen Marie Davis Rock
Ellen Marie Davis Rock of Eustis, Florida, passed away on March 27, 2021. Ellen was born on December 26, 1952, in Huntsville, Alabama, and was the second child of Leo Paul Davis, Sr., and Mary Ellen Frew Davis. Leo and Mary moved to Mims, Florida, in 1957, where Leo began his career as a photographer for NASA, and Mary was a Registered Nurse. Ellen and her sister, Grace, born 11 years apart, shared the same birthdate, and were together for nearly every birthday, combining their candles on the cake and lighting up the room.
Ellen was a graduate of Titusville High School. She was able to pursue her love of animals through her work at a veterinary clinic in Titusville, during which time she was known to bring home stray dogs, cats, goats, and other assorted creatures. Her siblings always knew when she was the last one to drive the car, because they always found a spare bale of hay in the back. Later, she graduated from the Brevard Community College School of Nursing. Ellen then worked in the neonatal ward of Duke University Hospital in North Carolina. Ellen loved her work there, and also loved spending time in the mountains, including her adventures with her beloved horse John Paul Jones.
Ellen then decided to follow in the footsteps of many family members, and joined the Navy as a Corpsman in 1982. It was in the Hospital Corps School in Great Lakes, Illinois, where she met the love of her life, her husband Anthony. It was love at first sight for both of them, and nine months later they were married in February, 1983. After training, Ellen and Tony were stationed in Pensacola, Florida. They transferred to Puerto Rico, where their first child, Mary, was born in 1983. From Puerto Rico, they transferred to NAS Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Their second child, William, was born in 1986, and then Ellen left the Navy in 1988 to become a full-time mom. Their third child, Thomas, was born in 1989. The family transferred to Pensacola, Florida, in 1996.
After Anthony retired from the Navy in 2002, the family then settled in Eustis, Florida, to be closer to family. Ellen loved being a stay-at-home mom, and truly exemplified selfless, unconditional love as she took care of her precious family. Ellen also loved growing plants and flowers, and her passion for animals was a blessing to all the creatures who crossed her path. Ellen was a very talented artist, and her other lifelong hobbies included ceramics, music, movies, reading, painting, art appreciation, and one of Ellen’s greatest gifts was saving injured or orphaned animals. Ellen loved watching Sci Fi, especially Dr. Who and Star Trek, and had a lifelong love of learning which included watching documentaries. Anthony retired from Orange County Fire Rescue in 2018. They loved to travel, and see the country. One of Ellen’s greatest joys in life was being a grandmother, and what a wonderful legacy of love she leaves them and the rest of her family.
Ellen was preceded in death by her parents, Leo and Mary, and by her older brother Leo Paul Davis, Jr.. Ellen is survived by her husband, Anthony W. Rock, daughter Mary Grace Mancillas (Jose) of Eustis, Florida, son William A. Rock (Amanda) of Eustis, Florida, son Thomas P. Rock (Christine) of Eustis, Florida, brother James E. Davis (Kelli) of Park City, Kentucky, brother Robert D. Davis (Nancy) of Mims, Florida, sister Grace D. Weber (John) of Leesburg, Florida, sister-in-law Kathi Russell of North Carolina, four grandchildren (Mia, Elijah, Zoey, and Ethan), many nephews and nieces, and great-nephews and nieces. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Ellen’s name may be made to Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida, or to the Lupus Foundation of America.
Candles
Fly out to the horizon
And I'll meet you there,
Toward the moon so full
Of love tonight,
A brilliant moon,
Full of love,
In a cerulean blue sky,
Peaking over the top of mountains,
The sun melts,
Into the magenta colored clouds,
I see the stars as the blessings
You leave with me.
Some places are a bit more empty now,
But I am never truly alone
When you are in my heart.
I will tell the world of who you were
And I will pass along your story
So they may know you
You will never be forgotten.
Because you were a spark
The light that moved thousands of hearts,
Speaking truth and wisdom.
Not once did you go it alone,
Beside you we stood,
Together in love,
Stronger than a hurricane's wind,
Bonded bit by bit,
From sweat, tears, and blood
With hearts and prayers
We carry your legacy with arms and legs,
Walking into the unknown,
God watches over us
As he did for you.
We rest tonight knowing
You are at peace.
You have worked hard.
Bring your ship to the shore
Down by the drifting clouds,
Settle in the comfort of our hearts
Guide us with the knowledge you left with us,
Send words of love in the whispers of the Angels.
Tears may trickle down my face
In times I think about you
Although I know I'll meet you there
Up on the edge of the world,
Please watch over me,
My guardian angel,
My beloved,
You are forever in my heart,
I'll see you soon,
But until then,
I love you.
Rest for now.
Good night
Until the dawn comes again.
She was my Sister and I loved her very much.
I'll miss her until the day we meet again.
Just pure beauty and elegance.
Aunt Ellen and Uncle Tony came all the way to Daytona to snuggle a new Emma Rose. Aunt Ellen always loved the children in this family extremely well and gave her love so selflessly.
I miss you