Donald
Donald Smith Ellis
Donald Smith Ellis, 69, of Midlothian passed away on November 19, 2022 after
a brief illness. He was born on December 4, 1952, to the late Donald Carl Ellis and Joyce Rodgers Ellis in Perryton, TX.
Smith is survived by his wife Barbara Miller Ellis, his two daughters Natalie Paige Ellis Klice and Emily Elizabeth Ellis, his son Benjamin Smith Ellis, and his daughter-in-law Alexia Ellis, along with his four grandchildren Avery Lyn Klice, Adelaide Anne Klice, Morgan Ruth Klice, and James Ellis Klice. He is also survived by his two brothers Kenny Ellis of Austin, TX, and Tim Ellis of Wilmington, NC. He was preceded in death by his parents Donald Carl Ellis and Joyce Rodgers Ellis and his niece Nikki Lyn Ellis.
Smith graduated from Big Spring High School in 1971 and from The University of Texas at Austin. After a successful career with an employee benefits consulting firm in Austin, Smith shifted his career to banking in 1996. He became a member of the Board of Directors of FirstBank Southwest in Amarillo in 1996, an Executive Vice President with the bank in 2004, and became FirstBank Southwest’s Chairman, CEO, and President in 2006.
Smith was an incredible person and a great banker. It would have been impossible for anyone to have found a nicer, more genuine person. He never met a stranger. As a banker, he led FirstBank Southwest through many of its most formulative years. His love for the bank, its staff and board, and for his adopted community was evident in all that he did. He was very active in philanthropic causes and civic efforts to better Amarillo and enhance the lives of its people.
Smith retired from the CEO and President positions at FirstBank Southwest at the end of 2017. At that time, he and his family relocated to Midlothian. He remained as the bank’s Chairman until the Summer of 2020. Since his full retirement, he focused on enjoying his family and engaging more in his twin passions of playing golf and honing his self-taught skills as a master chef.
The funeral will take place on December 2nd at 10:00 AM at First Baptist Church at 1208 South Tyler Street in Amarillo. His burial will be held the following day, December 3rd, at 2:00 PM In Big Spring, TX at Mt. Olive Cemetery, 1700 Texas Highway 350. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2800 Paramount Blvd.
a brief illness. He was born on December 4, 1952, to the late Donald Carl Ellis and Joyce Rodgers Ellis in Perryton, TX.
Smith is survived by his wife Barbara Miller Ellis, his two daughters Natalie Paige Ellis Klice and Emily Elizabeth Ellis, his son Benjamin Smith Ellis, and his daughter-in-law Alexia Ellis, along with his four grandchildren Avery Lyn Klice, Adelaide Anne Klice, Morgan Ruth Klice, and James Ellis Klice. He is also survived by his two brothers Kenny Ellis of Austin, TX, and Tim Ellis of Wilmington, NC. He was preceded in death by his parents Donald Carl Ellis and Joyce Rodgers Ellis and his niece Nikki Lyn Ellis.
Smith graduated from Big Spring High School in 1971 and from The University of Texas at Austin. After a successful career with an employee benefits consulting firm in Austin, Smith shifted his career to banking in 1996. He became a member of the Board of Directors of FirstBank Southwest in Amarillo in 1996, an Executive Vice President with the bank in 2004, and became FirstBank Southwest’s Chairman, CEO, and President in 2006.
Smith was an incredible person and a great banker. It would have been impossible for anyone to have found a nicer, more genuine person. He never met a stranger. As a banker, he led FirstBank Southwest through many of its most formulative years. His love for the bank, its staff and board, and for his adopted community was evident in all that he did. He was very active in philanthropic causes and civic efforts to better Amarillo and enhance the lives of its people.
Smith retired from the CEO and President positions at FirstBank Southwest at the end of 2017. At that time, he and his family relocated to Midlothian. He remained as the bank’s Chairman until the Summer of 2020. Since his full retirement, he focused on enjoying his family and engaging more in his twin passions of playing golf and honing his self-taught skills as a master chef.
The funeral will take place on December 2nd at 10:00 AM at First Baptist Church at 1208 South Tyler Street in Amarillo. His burial will be held the following day, December 3rd, at 2:00 PM In Big Spring, TX at Mt. Olive Cemetery, 1700 Texas Highway 350. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2800 Paramount Blvd.
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