Greensboro College Community Mourns the Loss of Senior Matthew Russell Ellis
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Greensboro College community is mourning the death of Matthew Russell Ellis, a senior theatre/acting major from Chapel Hill.
Ellis died June 24 from injuries sustained in a work accident in Raleigh. He was 21.
“Matt was a joy to work with,” said Jo Hall, associate professor of theatre, who works closely with theatre majors in the acting concentration. “In productions, he was the perfect team player: always well-prepared for rehearsals and willing to try anything that was suggested. His work in the acting studio was fearless, and he truly enjoyed every aspect of the craft of theatre.
“He was always positive and very supportive of his fellow students. His trademark was his deep, resonant voice, so easily recognized by all, and he took pride in being the voice of the ‘Tonin’’ (dance/theatre) series. His enthusiasm and contagious smile will be sorely missed.”
A student in the college’s George Center for Honors Studies and a versatile actor, Ellis appeared in comedies, dramas and musicals during his Greensboro College career, from Shakespeare to 21st-century works.
His family said his favorite role was that of Val Slotsky, a Russian immigrant comedy writer in Neil Simon’s “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” which GC Theatre performed in the spring of 2018.
The funeral Mass will be offered for Ellis at 11 a.m. Friday, June 28, 2019, at the Newman Catholic Student Center Parish, 218 Pittsboro St., Chapel Hill, N.C. 27516. A private Rite of Christian Burial will follow.
The family will receive friends and relatives from 10 to 10:45 a.m. before the service at the church.
Greensboro College’s chaplain, Department of Theatre and Office of Student Development will coordinate a memorial service for Ellis after students return to campus in August. The date has not been set.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made either to Greensboro College Theatre, c/o Greensboro College, 815 W. Market St., Greensboro, N.C. 27401, or to Fuel Up at Perry Harrison School, 41 Amity Court, Pittsboro, N.C. 27312.
Greensboro College provides a liberal arts education grounded in the traditions of the United Methodist Church and fosters the intellectual, social, and, spiritual development of all students while supporting their individual needs.
Founded in 1838 and located in downtown Greensboro, the college enrolls about 1,000 students from 29 states and territories, the District of Columbia, and seven foreign countries in its undergraduate liberal-arts program and six master’s degree programs. In addition to rigorous academics and a well-supported Honors program, the school features a 17-sport NCAA Division III athletic program and dozens of service and recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.greensboro.edu.
Think critically. Act justly. Live faithfully.
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Media Contact:
Lex Alexander, Director of Communications
lex.alexander@greensboro.edu
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