Delores Marie Ellison

Our beloved teacher, coach, university counselor, administrator, and International Baccalaureate Coordinator Delores Marie Ellison, 77, of Fleming Island, Florida, passed away of COVID 19 on January 8, 2021. Her passing was sudden. She battled for her life to defeat COVID, but she succumbed to the virus after being hospitalized 11 days. 

Delores was born in Jacksonville, Florida. She attended Landon High School, Jacksonville University and the University of North Florida. She wanted to become a teacher and won a State of Florida Teacher Scholarship her senior year in high school. Her career spanned 40 ½ years. She was a teacher, coach and administrator at Jeff Davis Junior High School, college counselor and recruiter for nursing at the University of Chicago (Urbana Campus) and 18 years as the International Baccalaureate Program Coordinator at Stanton College Preparatory School. 

When she accepted the position at Stanton as the IB Coordinator, in 1987, there were only 15 IB students. When she retired in 2006 there were over 500 IB students.  Serving Stanton teachers, students, guidance colleagues, parents, and administrators was the happiest and most rewarding time of her life. While at Stanton the IB Program was recognized twice in the United States for the most students receiving the IB diploma and once in North America. At her retirement surprise party/diploma awarding ceremony at UNF in 2005 she was overwhelmed with the support of former and current IB students, teachers, parents, and administrators with their acknowledgement of her leadership, love and support. 

Delores was an active member of the St. Augustine Center for Spiritual Living for 12 years. She enjoyed teaching in the youth program. Following her retirement, she traveled around the world and enjoyed socializing with her many friends.

Delores was preceded in death by her father, mother and brother. She is survived by her “Best Friends/and Buddies” spanning over a 55-year period of her life: Lynda Lewis, Beege Lewis, Linda Blackburn, D.J. Busby, Jean Blevins, Barbara Wesseling, Carlotta Ray, Jan Brown, Tom Filloramo and Ken Wilcox. The friends she cultivated cannot begin to be listed in this notice. She loved all of you very much!

Her Alabama, Jacksonville, Georgia and Tennessee aunts and first cousins to survive her include: Aunt Joanne Wade, Aunt Melba Jackson, Donna and Rick Wells, Rhonda and Bill Bowden, Coleman and Donna Hatcher, Mike Jackson, LaRae and Jerry Henderson, Marty and Sherry Abercrombie, John and Pam Jackson, Bobby Albritton, Chuck and Penny Albritton,Jan Sconyers, Hulon Sconyers, Harold and Mary Sconyers, Mary and Bobby Morris, Louise and Ken Buehler, Betty Ann and Reggie Kelley.

The Delores Ellison Scholarship has been set up through Stanton College Preparatory School.  This trust fund will be used annually to recognize one or more Stanton graduating seniors to help them attend college. Please send your donations to:

Stanton College Preparatory School (Attention Bookkeeper)

1149 West 13^th St.

Jacksonville, Florida 32209

1. Make check payable to: Stanton College Preparatory School
2. Your check/ or attached letter must include the account number 6.6510.00 and name (Scholarship Trust Delores Ellison) the funds are to be placed in.

A Celebration of Delores’s life will be held later for family and friends.