Ellie Ryder Rist
Ellie was born in Enid Oklahoma, to her late parents Emil A. & Mary O. Gorre, January 7th, 1947. Ellie, her mother Mary, and her Grandmother Aurelia all shared the same birthdate of January 7th. Emil & Mary Gorre moved to New Mexico when Ellie was very young due to the frequent tornadoes in Oklahoma. She grew up there and immediately became interested in animal care and welfare. Her parents taught her and her siblings to knit, sew clothing, crochet, and weave. All skills that proved useful to the family. She also became interested in the recycling that was done in the early 1960’s, like glass bottles, reusing, reusing everyday items to prevent waste. She took a particular interest in the depression era conserving that her parents had to do when they were very young. After graduating from high school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ellie attended Oregon State University for a business degree.
She had many skills and talents, and had many jobs to match them after graduating from college. Her last place of employment was a motorcycle factory. She had an injury from her arm being crushed by a machine. She had the pleasure of taking in stray dogs and cats and rescuing many. She had a way with words that made people perk up and listen. She later married Milton Rist. They moved to Arizona, Oregon, Reno, Nevada, and back to Kingman, where Milton passed away. During their lives together, they both rescued many animals and practiced everyday small carbon footprints in the way they lived.
Ellie has always been interested in ecology, pets, wildlife, and preserving ecosystems. She was an advocate for all of them, especially the environment, which helps all life thrive. She shared her stewardship of the environment and animals with her immediate family, nieces and nephews, grand nephew, relatives, friends and people she met in her journey through life. She wanted her advocacy of the environment and wildlife, all creatures great and small on the earth to be her life Legacy; and to pass this on to all adults and children so that they also could become good stewards and advocates of the earth.
She passed away after being burned in a fire from an unforeseen propane leak at an apartment she was moving into. She had sepsis, a tear in her bowel, and hospital-acquired pneumonia. She was 78 Years Young. She had a sharp wit and intact memory up until the day she died. She died on December 30th. 2025, while in KRMC Hospice. Ellie is survived by her brother, Texas J. of Albuquerque, New Mexico, her sister, Virginia Sullivan of Minnesota, her nieces and nephews, Janae Sullivan, Patrick Sullivan, Chris Sullivan, Kelly Sullivan, grand nephew Andrew of Minnesota, and many cousins and relatives.
She wanted her body to be donated to science to help in research to benefit others. She had her dying wish granted, and her body was donated to Research for Life in Phoenix, Arizona. After donation, her body will be cremated and sprinkled into the Pacific Ocean, where her spirit will thrive with the wildlife that she so loved.
