Jewel Dean “Spunk” Womble Ellis

Jewel Dean “Spunk” Womble Ellis, age 86 of Lawrenceburg, TN passed away Saturday July 5, 2025, at NHC Healthcare Scott in Lawrenceburg, TN.

Family will visit with friends on Saturday July 12th from 1pm to 3pm with a celebration of life service following visitation at Mars Hill Baptist Church in Lawrenceburg, TN.

Jewel “Spunk” Ellis was born on November 16, 1938, in Giles County, TN to the late JD and Lacy Crumbly Womble. She became known as “Spunk” early in life and that nickname would stick with her all of her days. She grew up on a farm in Lawrence County, TN with her eight siblings and proudly referred to herself as a simple country girl. She worked hard on the farm helping her family in raising cotton, tobacco, vegetables, fruit, and farm animals such as milk cows and chickens. She loved to tell stories of the fun times they had on the farm, like corn cob battles, although the work was hard and never ending.

On October 4, 1958, Jewel married Verbon Ray Ellis. They had three sons, Terry, Ronnie, and Bobby and enjoyed many activities as a family such as hunting, fishing, camping, rodeos, and riding horses in the Bridle & Saddle Club. She was proud of her sons and would tell people “they turned out good.”

Jewel and Verbon bought a house on Hwy 43 North between Lawrenceburg and Ethridge in 1961 and it became a lifelong labor of love to improve the property while raising their family. Her prized possessions were the house and her flowers. She spent countless hours working in her flowers and wore out many shovels over the years. Many passersby enjoyed the vibrant and beautiful array of flowers all throughout the year and often referred to her as the “Flower Lady”. She was more than happy to talk with visitors about her flower garden and share bulbs or sprouts with strangers. Undoubtably, there are parts of her flower garden growing in unknown places far and wide.

When not outside working in her yard, she enjoyed listening to music like southern gospel, Elvis, Fats Domino, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Conway Twitty, Ronnie Milsap, Alabama, and many others. She loved music her whole life and loved to play it loudly even more. She would often tell of listening to her music when ironing and her parents asking her “are you hard of hearing” and end the story with a grin and a laugh. She listened to her music while staying busy in the home cleaning her glassware collection, playing scrabble, or working crossword puzzles. She also was very creative and loved to color, paint, sew, and woodworking. Jewel developed a love of writing poetry and spent many hours filling up several notebooks with poems about life and even had several published in the local newspaper and poetry books. As someone who loved to laugh, she enjoyed watching funny movies or TV shows like Family Feud, but also loved a good basketball game, old westerns like Gunsmoke, and of course seeing all the magnificent flowers in the annual Rose Bowl parade.

Jewel was preceded in death by her parents, JD and Lacy Crumbly Womble; husband, Verbon Ellis; brother Bill Womble; and sister Mildred Womble Thompson.

She is survived by three sons, Terry Ellis (Marla) of Lawrenceburg, TN, Ronnie Ellis (Lesa) of Ethridge, TN, and Bobby Ellis (Carrie) of Hampshire, TN; three brothers, James Womble (Alice) of Lawrenceburg, TN, Wayne Womble of Smyrna, TN, and Danny Womble (Annette) of Ethridge, TN; two sisters, Martha Magee (Herbie) of Lawrenceburg, TN and Carolyn Collins of Jackson, TN; nine grandchildren, Heather Hopkins, Nick Ellis (Casey), Cory Ellis, Richard Dixon (Jennifer), Amelia Shelton (Derek), Alexis Ramsey (Deandre), Sam Ellis, Gracie Ellis, and Aubrey Ellis; thirteen great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

The family would like to thank the staff at NHC Healthcare Scott and Caris Hospice, as well as all her special friends and guardian angels for the love and care shown to Jewel “Spunk” Ellis during her stay.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family encourages making a donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Arrangements are being handled by Neal Funeral Home, 231 N. Military Avenue, Lawrenceburg, TN. Condolences may be sent by way of our website at www.nealfuneralhome.net.