Tributes paid to worship leader Holly  

Tributes to Holly Ellis, a worship leader from Ormesby, have flooded in from family and friends, describing her as having been a “beautiful, honest, gentle and very humble person” with an “incredible gifting and anointing.”

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After a short illness Holly Ellis passed away on Wednesday September 27 on the ICU ward at the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston at the age of 49. Her husband Phil and immediate family were with her. 

Holly was born in October 1973 and lived in the area around Great Yarmouth for most of her life.  For the last 10 years Holly and Phil lived in Ormesby near Great Yarmouth. The couple met in 1998 at a small music festival where Phil was involved in set up and Holly was performing with a band from Gorleston Baptist Church. The pair were married in 1999. Phil pays tribute to his wife saying: “We were together for more than 25 years and she was my absolute best friend. She was my soulmate. Like any couple we had arguments, but Holly always insisted that we never went to bed without saying sorry and I love you.  One of the things I will miss the most is playing music with her. I’ve never felt a connection with anyone else like I did when I played with Holly.”

Holly attended several churches over the years, including Gorleston Baptist Church, DC3 Church in Diss, and Light of Life Baptist Church in Ormesby. However her husband Phil explains that her desire was to devote her life to Jesus rather than church, and to faith rather than religion. She had a close affiliation and partnership with the Norwich School of Prophets and Lighthouse Norwich (previously called Call to Prayer) where she often led worship; singing and playing the keyboard.

Jill Gower who leads Lighthouse Norwich writes of Holly : “we were incredibly blessed to have her as a worship leader and dear friend. Holly will always be remembered for her warmth and her lovely personality. She was an amazing worship leader and took so many of us right into the presence of God, with her incredible gifting and anointing and lovely voice. Now she is singing with the angels and truly face to face with Jesus.”

Friends Val and Paul have also shared that “Holly was a beautiful, honest, gentle and very humble person who held a special place in our hearts. When leading worship she was incredibly gifted and sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and able to take us to that place, the very throne room of God. We will hugely miss her very presence, warmth and love.”

Close friend of the couple Matt Gooch says “Holly was genuinely a different person, unique, a one off but for all the right reasons. I can't think of Holly without thinking of her compassion, understanding and non judgemental approach.  Her mantra was "be real" and because of that others could be real with her! A true friend whose legacy continues.”

As well as leading worship, Holly also had a number of employed roles during her life. In the late nineties she worked as a medical secretary at the James Paget hospital, before working for Professor David Scott in Norwich as a PA and practice manager for 17 years. After Professor Scott retired Holly moved into freelance administration.

Holly is survived by her husband Phil, brother Stefan and sister Karen.

A celebration of Holly’s life will be held at 4pm on November 1 at Hirst’s Farm, Ormesby, North Road, NR29 3LE. If you are planning to attend email Matt Gooch / Helen Farman at this email address Celebratinghollyellis@gmail.com. Please bring your own chair. Tributes to Holly can also be sent to the email address, and it is hoped that many of these will be included in the service.
 

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