William Kane "Tug" Ellington

Surrounded by family, William Kane “Tug” Ellington left this world on December 3, 2017, at the age of 93.

Born to Ed and Edna Ellington on May 26, 1924, in Alexandria, Louisiana, Tug was a Depression Era child and proud to belong to the Greatest Generation. He attended LSU and was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon social fraternity. He enlisted in the U. S. Army during WWII. After the war he resumed his studies at LSU, graduated in Business Administration, and returned to Alexandria where he joined his father in the family real estate business. He then met and married his beloved Nita and began his career as a Real Estate Appraiser. For the next 56 years, Tug and Nita were inseparable until her death in 2008.

Whether you called him Daddy, Uncle Tug, Uncle Goose, Tutu, Papa or Pop, all monikers reflected the affection that friends and family had for him. Known for his wit and sense of humor, Tug thrived on stirring up emotions. His greeting to others was normally, “There’s a solid citizen!” or “Hello, girls!” regardless the gender. His children and grandchildren fondly remember his tongue-in-cheek commands, such as, “Go play in the traffic.” (Go play outside.) “Don’t bleed on your mama’s carpet.” (Don’t hurt yourself.) and many more.

Tug was a proud Alexandrian. His recent letter to Mike Jenkins describing “A Perfect Day at the Bentley Hotel, circa 1940,” was read at many civic and historic organization meetings around the state. However, Tug’s favorite place in the world was the family summer home, Tug-Inn, in Fishville, La.   The camp was built by his parents in 1937 with scrap wood from the Sonia Cottonseed Oil Mill. Tug enjoyed reminiscing about swimming in the spring-fed cold waters of Big Creek at Dean’s Hole, socializing on Saturdays at the Skating Rink, and having an adult beverage with locals and friends who summered at Fishville. Tug and Nita hosted numerous family wedding receptions, office parties, crawfish boils, and holiday gatherings at Tug-Inn. The 80-year tradition continues to this day.

Tug agreed with writer/historian Timothy Flint who wrote about Fishville, “A spot of Earth supremely blessed—a dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest.”

Tug was preceded in death by his parents, wife Anita deTournillon Ellington, brother Edward “Bud” Ellington, sister Margaret Ellington Healy, and granddaughter Ashley Ellington Fields.

Those left to cherish his memory are his children Edward M. Ellington II (Madeline) of Lake Charles, Elizabeth Dee Ellington of Alexandria, and William Kane Ellington II (Maria) of Lafayette; grandchildren, Dorothy Baker Ellington (Sarah Dennis) of Melbourne, Australia, Edward M. Ellington III of New Orleans, Louisiana, Benjamin Ellington Holt of Mobile, Alabama, and William Kane Ellington III (Mary), Anna Nicole Ellington, and great-grandson, Gabriel Hsi Ellington, all of Lafayette.

In 2015, Tug moved to Lake Charles where he was met with the warm hospitality for which our community is known, making new friends who seemed like old friends.

The family would like to express our sincere gratitude to the kind staff at The Verandah in Lake Charles, Heart of Hospice, and our good friend, Monsignor Harry Greig. We give special thanks to Cammie Olney (aka, “T-1”) for not only keeping Dad up-and-running for the last two years, but also for referring Lisa Franklin, Tresa Leger and Pat Winters, who lovingly cared for Tug in his final days.

Donations may be made to St. Edward’s Catholic Church (Fishville) at 1571 North 2nd Street, Jena, LA 71342, or to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, 1602 W. Pinhook Road, Suite 100B, Lafayette, LA 70508.

A celebration of Tug’s life will be scheduled at a future date.