August 16, 1925 – June 1974

Dick Ellis was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, and grew up in the Shaughnessy neighbourhood on Angus Drive. He attended Magee High School before studying law at the University of British Columbia.
An avid sportsman throughout his life, Dick participated in a wide range of athletic pursuits, including swimming, diving, fishing, football, and rugby. He also loved spending summers at Shawnigan Lake with his family, where he was an enthusiastic water skier and embraced the outdoor, active lifestyle he enjoyed so much.

Richard “Dick” Ellis was called to the bar in 1950 and joined Clay & Macfarlane, becoming a partner at Clay, Macfarlane, Ellis, and Popham, which was later known as Clay & Company. Joan Avery also followed in another of her father’s loves, golf and did very well as an amateur golfer for many years.  

Dick Ellis (Inducted into the BC Rugby Hall of Fame in 2006) followed in his father’s footsteps, dedicating his life to his lifelong passion for rugby, which consumed his every spare moment.  He was a very active member of the Oak Bay Wanderers at the time of his death in 1974 (from a scuba diving accident).  Dick Ellis Memorial Fund Provides Support to National Team Captains.  The Dick Ellis Memorial Fund (DEMF) was established in 1978 as a lasting memorial to Mr. Dick Ellis, a former President of Rugby Canada, who passed away in office.