Died December 5, 2020.

Heath High School, Heath, OH

Athletic Director

Obituary:

Heath – Ellis Edward Booth, of Heath, passed away the afternoon of December 5, 2020, at the age of 55.

He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Debbie (Yochheim) Booth, children, Madison Booth & Payton Booth, and younger brother, Mike Booth. He is preceded in death by his parents, Edward Booth & Brenda (Hankins) Booth and grandparents Clifford Hankins and Mildred (Wheeler) Hankins. A private, socially – distanced memorial service for the family will be held this week with a service for the community to follow in the future.

Ellis, E, or EB to family and friends, was the first child born to Ed and Brenda Booth of Columbus, OH, on Dec 21, 1964. Ed worked as a geologist for AEP, moving the family around to several states including Michigan and Ohio, landing them in Ravenswood, West Virginia for Ellis’s high school years. Ellis was a member of the football, basketball, and baseball teams. He went on to study Social Studies at The Ohio State University, later earning his masters of education at Ashland University. He met Debbie while teaching in Newcomerstown, OH in 1988. The two were married on the hottest day of the year on July 20, 1991 at East Chippewa Church of the Brethren in Orville, OH, near Debbie’s hometown.

The two moved to London, Ohio, in 1992 where Ellis was the in-school suspension monitor and coached football, baseball, and girls basketball. They welcomed their first child, Madison, in April of 1995 and Payton in 1998 after moving to Delaware, OH. The family stayed in Delaware until 2001 when Ellis heard of an opening for an Athletic Director/Assistant Principal position at Heath High School in Heath, OH. Ellis got the job and the family became bulldogs.

Ellis served as AD/AP from 2001-2006. From 2006 – 2008 Ellis juggled the roles of AD, AP, and principal, assuming the latter role from 2008 – 2016. In his time as principal Ellis was responsible for running the annual district wrestling tournament, the beautification of the hallways with murals and school activity photos, and the Heath High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Mr. Booth was able to return to his true calling in 2016 as athletic director, being responsible for the new victory bell and his passion project, the new turf football field.

Up front, Ellis was known for his quiet, professional demeanor, but everyone he opened up to appreciated his quick sarcastic wit, his never-ending wisdom, and objective advice. Truly a well-rounded individual, Ellis loved yelling at a television football game as much as he loved singing along to his favorite musical, West Side Story. He loved Debbie, the outdoors, and his Pudelpointer puppy, Henry. He dreamed of traveling the country in his rooftop tent, seeing more mountains and high points, hunting, and fishing. His support of Payton and Madison in their endeavors was never ending, and his love for Heath athletics was clearly reflected in his work.

Ellis’s family would like to extend a special thank you to David and Donna Linn of Heath Church of Christ for his support and council during this time. The family would like to thank the medical staff at Licking Memorial who worked directly to care for Ellis as if he were their own family. Last but not least, the Booth family would like to give a huge thank you to the Heath Bulldog community and school district for their continuous love and support. In Ellis’s memory, in lieu of sympathetic gifts, donations may be made to the Heath Athletics Boosters in his name for use in future projects.