Roland Oliver Ellison, age 88, of Selma passed away on Monday July 13, 2009 at his home.

Graveside services will be held on Thursday, July 16, 2009 at Pineview Memory Gardens in Valley Grande at 11:00 a.m. with the Rev. Preston Johnson officiating and Lawrence Brown-Service Funeral Home directing.

Mr. Ellison is preceded in death by his mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ellison; his wife of 62 years, Bettye M. Ellison; his son, Michael R. Ellison, Sr., and nine brothers and sisters.

Mr. Ellison is survived by his sons, Coley Jesse (Butch) Thompson of Selma, Michael Ellison, Jr. (Candi) of Selma; and his daughter, Connie Wyatt (Kelly) of Moore, Okla., seven grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.

Mr. Ellison proudly served in the U.S. Army during WWII as a Sergeant/Medic. He retired from the Selma Times-Journal in 1986. He was also the associate pastor of Overlook Hills Church of God and was a Sunday School teacher for 55 years. He will be missed. To many, he was a true saint.

Pallbearers will be Michael Ellison Jr., Chance Ellison, Benson Girlie, Randy Parker, Joseph Berry and Jay Smith.
Honorary pallbearers will be Charles Sides, Carson Jones, Tony Butts, Kelly Wyatt, Jimmy Ruff, Fred Parker, and Preston Johnson.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to, The Barbara Radford Ware Nursing Scholarship Fund in care of Cahaba Hospice 410 Church Street Selma, Al 36701.

Please visit www.lawrencebrownservice.com to make online condolences to the family.