Richard Ellis Obituary

Richard N. "Dick" Ellis, born in 1939 in Brooklyn, New York, passed away peacefully on December 16, 2025, in Stevensville, Montana. A distinguished historian, teacher, and scholar of the American Southwest, Dick devoted his professional life to understanding, documenting, and honoring the histories of Indigenous peoples and the region he so deeply respected.

Dick earned his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado in 1967. He began his academic career as a faculty member in the Department of History at the University of New Mexico, where he taught from 1968 to 1987. In 1987, he joined Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, serving as Professor of Southwest Studies until 2005. He also served as Director of the Center of Southwest Studies from 1987 to 1995, generously donating many of his documents and written works to the Center, ensuring future generations would benefit from his scholarship.

An accomplished author, Dick's books include General Pope and U.S. Indian Policy (1970) and Colorado: A History in Photographs. He was also a prolific editor and reviewer, contributing extensively to historical scholarship. He served on the editorial boards of New Mexico Historical Review (1975-1989), and American Indian Quarterly (1974-1980).

Beyond academia, Dick was widely respected as an expert witness, serving various Indian tribes, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. His expertise included Navajo water rights in the San Juan and Little Colorado Basins, Pueblo land and water rights, San Carlos Apache water rights, and Mescalero Apache history. He was also a consultant for the nationally premiered public television production Geronimo and the Apache Resistance (1988) and for the Southern Ute Tribe's Colorado Endowment for the Humanities video, The Ute Legacy.

Dick's career was marked by numerous awards and honors recognizing his excellence in teaching, research, and service. Early in his life, he participated in archaeological fieldwork at Mesa Verde National Park in 1960. As a Fulbright Lecturer in Denmark in 1979, he pursued museum work and cultural exchange with Indigenous peoples outside the United States, further reflecting his lifelong commitment to cross-cultural understanding.

Most importantly, Dick was deeply loved. He was known for his kindness, fairness, and easygoing nature. He had a genuine love of art and music, believed laughter was essential to life, and lived that belief fully. An avid fly fisherman and outdoorsman, he formed lasting and meaningful friendships through his time on the water and was a staunch advocate for river conservation and the protection of natural spaces.

Dick is survived by his son David Ellis (Brenda Garcia), his daughter Sara Ellis (John Wilk), and brothers John Ellis (Athena) and Raymond Ellis (Mirjana). He was loved by many and will be remembered not only for his remarkable professional contributions, but for the warmth, humor, and humanity he brought into the lives of all who knew him.