Letterville Bull Board Letterville | Bull Board
 


 

Front Page
A Letterhead History
About Us
Become A Resident
Edit Your Database Info
Find A Letterhead

Letterville Merchants
Resident Downloads
Letterville BookShop
Future Live Meets
Past Meets
Step-By-Steps
Past Panel Swaps
Past SOTM
Letterhead Profiles
Business Cards
Become A Merchant

Click on the button
below to chat with other
Letterville users.

http://www.letterville.com/ubb/chaticon.gif

Steve & Barb Shortreed
144 Hill St., E.
Fergus, ON, Canada
N1M 1G9

Phone: 519-787-2892
Fax: 519-787-2673
Email: barb@letterville.com

Copyright ©1995-2008
The Letterhead Website

 

 

The Letterville BullBoard Post New Topic  New Poll  Post A Reply
my profile login | search | faq | calendar | im | forum home

  next oldest topic   next newest topic
» The Letterville BullBoard » Letterhead/Pinstriper Talk » Ellis Doughty Passes Away

 - UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!    
Author Topic: Ellis Doughty Passes Away
Steve Shortreed
Deceased Mayor


Member # 436

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Steve Shortreed   Author's Homepage   Email Steve Shortreed   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
 -

Ellis Doughty April 3, 1939 - Nov. 13, 2008

We're sad to learn that another one of our heros has passed on. Ellis Doughty died in Costra Rica this morning. Special thanks to Terry Hopkins for passing on the news so promply.

Terry also pointed out that Ellis actually wrote his own obituary shortly before his death. Here's how he saw his life.

Ellis learned sign trade at a night school taught by self-taught instructor O L Cruzan in Tulsa. In his second year of school Ellis had advanced to be O L’s helper on jobs and in class.

Joined the US Army in 1961 and was assigned to northern Maine with the Missile Air Defense Command and then served in Panama until discharged in 1964.

Ellis returned to Tulsa, Ok and worked with Neon Electric Sign with Larry Caves and Modern Sign Company. Later Ellis met and worked with Harry Davenport at Ace High Sign. Ellis said most of his knowledge came from Harry.

“Harry was good, and he always knew the shortest way to do a job…stop and look the work for 15 minutes plan it and then do it! Fast is good”. Ellis said he did this his whole professional career.

After three years Ellis worked in his own garage and started to do race cars and custom cars. When Leonard Wren bought a new building and was using the state of the art machine called the ARTOGRAPH, Ellis worked with him. While working with Leonard, Ellis could layout and paint an 8 by 12 in 4 hours flat…”fast is good”.

Leonard Wren gave Ellis his client business list in 1973. With the client list, Ellis rented the corner of shop from the Neon Shop, which was the start of the very successful Western Sign in downtown Tulsa.

Ellis stayed in Oklahoma until 1984, when he sold Western Sign he moved to Florida and worked with world famous A M Design in Miami, Florida for some years, and then with Renee Anderson in Marathon, Florida (in the Keys) for short time.

Ellis freelanced in Miami until 1991, when he started work with Dade County (Miami) in Traffic Sign Department. Within a year Ellis was transferred to Parks Sign Department where he began to do more conventional signs. Ellis work can still be seen all over the parks in Miami and Dade County.

Ellis retired in 2004 and moved Okalahoma for the summers and spent the 6-months of winter in Costa Rica.

In 2008 Ellis moved to the Vista Linda in San Jose, Costa Rica permanently, doing painting of the people he loves.

Ellis won many Signs of Times International Design contests, spoke at NESA meetings (ISA) and was a many time winner of Okalahoma Sign Assoc. contests.

Ellis was host of the 4th Letterhead Meeting “The Atkins Birthday Party” in Tulsa and attended many Letterhead events thruout his life. Ellis was a true Letterhead! He always shared his knowledge and expertise.

His Mother, Brother, a Son, a Daughter and three Grand Children survive him.

In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to the Billy Picket & Pookie Fund or Superfrog Rehabilitation Fund.

[ November 13, 2008, 01:16 PM: Message edited by: Steve Shortreed ]

--------------------
Steve Shortreed
144 Hill St., E.
Fergus, Ontario
Canada N1M 1G9
519-787-2673

steve@letterville.com

www.letterville.com/profiles/shortreed/

Posts: 3710 | From: Fergus, Ontario, Canada | Registered: A Long Time Ago!  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Bruce Bowers
Resident


Member # 892

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Bruce Bowers   Email Bruce Bowers   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
Ellis Doughty was one talented guy! I remember him being featured in SignCraft Magazine.

What a loss for the Craft.

R.I.P. Brother Ellis Doughty. You will be missed.

--------------------
Bruce Bowers

DrCAS Custom Lettering and Design
Saint Cloud, Minnesota


"Things work out best for the people who make the best of the way things work out." - Art Linkletter

Posts: 6451 | From: Saint Cloud, Minnesota | Registered: Jun 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Raymond Chapman
Resident


Member # 361

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Raymond Chapman   Author's Homepage   Email Raymond Chapman   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
How sad. Another old friend has left us. He was unique, as so many of those old timers were. The early Letterhead movement could not have had its impact without the work of Ellis. He will be missed.

The last time I saw Ellis was in Orlando at a Sign Business show - he had driven up from Miami. We had a nice visit and I took a little time to tell him how much I appreciated his influence on our craft. A small bunch of flowers to say the least, but he did seem to appreciate the gesture.

There are a lot of those old guys left - some who have directly influenced a lot of folks here. Make sure they know how much you appreciate their efforts before they are gone and it is too late to tell them.

--------------------
Chapman Sign Studio
Temple, Texas
chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net

Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Ricky Jackson
Visitor
Member # 5082

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Ricky Jackson   Email Ricky Jackson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
This is so sad. Ellis was a super guy, not to mention his talents. It's obvious, from his self-written obit that the love of his life was his work. One thing he didn't mention was that he was one of the original letterheads. I found it heart warming to read his referral to "world famous A M Design in Miami" (Mark Klein). Mark is another beautiful and talented person. I had to smile about the in lieu of flowers. I'll send Billy Bob some doggie treats in memory but superfrog is way beyond rehabiltating [Smile] (two more of my most favorite people, btw). Sounds like Ellis passed peacefully; may he rest in peace.

--------------------
Ricky Jackson
Signs Now
614 Russell Parkway
Warner Robins, GA
(478) 923-7722
signpimp50@hotmail.com

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton

Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Raymond Chapman
Resident


Member # 361

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Raymond Chapman   Author's Homepage   Email Raymond Chapman   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
Sorry Ricky, but I don't think Ellis was a part of the Original Seven, although he was "adopted" in the very early days of the movement.

--------------------
Chapman Sign Studio
Temple, Texas
chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net

Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Monte Jumper
Resident


Member # 1106

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Monte Jumper   Email Monte Jumper   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
Man that guy could sure throw a Letterhead Meet...I met some of the best at his place in in Tulsa.

God bless you Ellis..you sure gave your share!

--------------------
"Werks fer me...it'll werk fer you"

Monte Jumper
SIGNLanguage/Norman.Okla.
jumpers@itlnet.net

Posts: 3185 | From: Norman,Okla.U.S.A. | Registered: Sep 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Jay Allen
Resident


Member # 195

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Jay Allen   Author's Homepage   Email Jay Allen   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
Never met him - but I sure do know his work.

Sadly, we'll be saying our goodbye's to many more of the original Letterheads as we all age. Not just the original seven - but all of those who joined them and started the momentum . . .

I can honestly say, it will never be like that again - but the spirit will survive as the entire profession was transformed by the Renassance started by those who came first . . .

The work in this industry got better from the grass-roots organization of this amazing group . . .

I'm proud to have a been a part of that - as we all are, I bet.

--------------------
Jay Allen
ShawCraft Sign Co.
Machesney Park, IL
jallen222@aol.com
http://www.shawcraft.com/

"The object of the superior man is truth."
-Confucius

Posts: 1285 | From: Machesney Park, IL, USA | Registered: Nov 1998  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Kent Smith
Resident


Member # 251

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Kent Smith   Author's Homepage   Email Kent Smith   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
Last time I saw Ellis was Orlando as well when I was walking along and a nasal voice said, "Weelll look who..." We had a great visit. I have a photo above my desk with him looking at the gold leaf we had just done on the window in Santa Cruz in 1984. He suggested the colors for the blended shades and was quite an influence on my view of the use of color. He also striped our van in the same scheme that weekend. It was the start of a long friendship. We all will miss him.

--------------------
Kent Smith
Smith Sign Studio
P.O.Box 2385,
Estes Park, CO 80517-2385
kent@smithsignstudio.com

Posts: 1025 | From: Estes Park, CO | Registered: Nov 1998  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Kimberly Zanetti
Visitor
Member # 2546

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Kimberly Zanetti   Author's Homepage   Email Kimberly Zanetti   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
I exchanged many emails with Ellis after my dad died. It really helped to hear about some of their early "escapades." ;-)

It is a sad day but I know that they are having a heck of a meet up there today.

--------------------
Kimberly Zanetti Purcell
www.amethystProductivity.com
Folsom, CA
email: Kimberly@AmethystProductivity.com

“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” AA Milne

Posts: 3722 | From: Folsom, CA | Registered: Dec 2001  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Mark Klein
Visitor
Member # 6586

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Mark Klein   Email Mark Klein   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
Sad to hear that Ellis has passed... We all have learned much from his artistic talents and smiles.

I met him way back, and was honored when he came and shared much of his talents with us in Miami at AM Design.

He had a great sense of humor. One of many special memories... working with him designing the "JacksonCraft" shirts we sent to a friend as a gift, started with a smile ear to ear... then laughing till we cried as we screened them.

He always shared his knowledge, and taught quietly.

Mark Klein

[ November 13, 2008, 10:45 PM: Message edited by: Mark Klein ]

--------------------
mark klein
miami, fl
2markklein@gmail.com

Posts: 6 | From: Miami, FL | Registered: Jun 2006  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Raymond Chapman
Resident


Member # 361

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Raymond Chapman   Author's Homepage   Email Raymond Chapman   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
Good to hear from you Mark. I remember those JacksonCraft T-shirts - even got to see one up and personal when I was in Jackson Hole.

Another memory of Ellis was his pin striping the window in Kansas City in '84 (?). He faded the colors from one to another as he painted.

--------------------
Chapman Sign Studio
Temple, Texas
chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net

Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Doug Bernhardt
Resident


Member # 1568

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Doug Bernhardt   Author's Homepage   Email Doug Bernhardt       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
Although I'd never met Ellis or Al, I've been one of the many benefiting from their efforts. It's always a huge loss every time another of the "B.C." group passes and I'm afraid it only gets worse.

--------------------
Doug Bernhardt
Bernhardt Signs
Ottawa Ont.

Posts: 121 | From: ottawa ont. canada | Registered: Jun 2000  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Steve Shortreed
Deceased Mayor


Member # 436

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Steve Shortreed   Author's Homepage   Email Steve Shortreed   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
I'll never forget that window Raymond. Kansas City was my first Letterhead Meet!

Although I had been painting signs partime for a few years, I had never actually seen another sign painter work. Ellis changed all that! I can recall standing there watching as he lettered and pinstriped that window. It was magic and he was a master Magician.

Barb dug through some old photos and managed to find this oldie but goodie. And yes! That is me with the cool Tom Jones perm. [Smile]

 -

--------------------
Steve Shortreed
144 Hill St., E.
Fergus, Ontario
Canada N1M 1G9
519-787-2673

steve@letterville.com

www.letterville.com/profiles/shortreed/

Posts: 3710 | From: Fergus, Ontario, Canada | Registered: A Long Time Ago!  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Tom & Kathy Durham
Resident


Member # 776

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Tom & Kathy Durham   Email Tom & Kathy Durham   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
We all watched him knock that window in amazement. He was indeed at a great guy with a ton of Letterhead talent

--------------------
Tom & Kathy Durham
House Springs, MO

Posts: 654 | From: House Springs, MO | Registered: Apr 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Roy Frisby
Resident


Member # 736

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Roy Frisby   Email Roy Frisby   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
I came to work one morning in the summer of 1988 and there was a 1953 Chevy panel truck painted "titty pink" with Florida plates sitting in front of the shop. The first thought that popped into my mind was "That's got to be a signpainter!" Sure enough, it was Ellis Doughty on his way back to Tulsa from Florida.
He had stopped for breakfast in El Dorado, remembered that I lived here and came by for a visit. What an honor for me. I have a photo of him standing beside the pink panel posted on the wall here. Rest in peace ole friend.

On another sad note: K.D. Hayes of Monroe, La. passed away a couple of months ago. K.D. was a mentor to Big John Brassell and several other sign people in the area. K.D. never used a quill, only flats and was extremely fast with a brush. He always said a mahl stick was only good for killing snakes, he never used one. I have so many fond memories of times spent with him.

--------------------
Frisby Signs, Inc.
El Dorado, Arkansas

Posts: 902 | From: El Dorado, Arkansas, USA | Registered: Apr 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Ray Skaines
Visitor
Member # 3702

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Ray Skaines   Author's Homepage   Email Ray Skaines   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
 -

Sorry to read of Ellis' passing in SignCraft this evening. Seeing Steve's photo I had to post this shot I took of Ellis lettering "The Window" at the KC meet. Rest In Peace, Ellis.

What a meet too. Sitting at a table with Mike Stevens discussing layout. A baby-faced kid named John Stevens (no relation to Mike) has us all drooling over his portfolio of calligraphy. Ken Millar couldn't help but get emotional sharing his passion for lettering.

My, how time passes us so fast? I am blessed to be in this craft and have cross paths with these talented people.

--------------------
Ray Skaines
League City, Tx
www.srsigns.com

Posts: 130 | From: League City, Texas | Registered: Mar 2003  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Judy Pate
Resident


Member # 237

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Judy Pate   Email Judy Pate   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
Sorry to hear that we lost another great letterhead. I never met Ellis but knew him from chat. Sure do miss the chat..it's not the same anymore.Judy

--------------------
Judy Pate
Signs By Judy
Albany, Georgia USA
229-435-6824


Live simply...Love generously...Care deeply...Speak kindly...Leave the rest to God.

Posts: 2621 | From: Albany,GA,USA | Registered: Nov 1998  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
   

Quick Reply
Message:

HTML is not enabled.
UBB Code™ is enabled.

Instant Graemlins
   


Post New Topic  New Poll  Post A Reply Close Topic   Feature Topic   Move Topic   Delete Topic next oldest topic   next newest topic
 - Printer-friendly view of this topic
Hop To:


Contact Us | Letterville. A Community Of Letterheads & Pinheads!

Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classic™ 6.7.2

Search For Sign Supplies
Category:
 

                  

Letterhead Suppliers Around the World