Dr. William Bruce Ellis, Jr.
Dr. William Bruce Ellis, Jr. Passed away on September 9th, 2026. He was born December 29, 1946 in Camden, Arkansas, to Nancy Harris Ellis and Dr. William Bruce Ellis, Sr. Known to his friends as “Bruce,” his fifty-year medical career spanned from the clinical corridors of Arkansas to the rugged landscapes, private practices and emergency rooms of Montana.
Dr. Ellis graduated with his Medical Degree (M.D.) from University of Arkansas College of Medicine in Little Rock. He completed his residency in Columbus, Georgia specializing in family medicine. Bruce struck out for Montana after falling in love with the mountains while working one summer in Yellowstone National Park. Settling in Anaconda, Montana, he opened his first private practice. After transitioning into frontline critical care, he worked extensively in the high-stakes environment of the emergency room in Great Falls, Montana, and spearheaded wilderness medicine initiatives in the Glacier National Park region. He merged his clinical emergency room expertise with his love for the outdoors by educating emergency teams, directing remote rescue protocols, and pioneering guidelines for treating patients in extreme environments.
After moving to Butte in 2002, Dr. Ellis ended his career as a hospitalist with St. James Healthcare. He lived his life at the intersection of adrenaline and targeted patient care. Whether managing trauma cases in a fast-paced ER or connecting with his patients and cultivating strong bedside manner he felt was vital in medicine, he approached every patient with a deeply comforting and steadfast presence in addition to medical expertise beyond compare. He saved countless lives, mentored generations of young physicians, and served the communities of Anaconda, Butte, and Great Falls with unwavering dedication.
Bruce was driven by a deep curiosity and an enduring love for the natural world. He enjoyed travel, always eager to experience new places and uncover their historical significance. In his earlier years, he spent his limited spare time hiking and exploring the Montana wilderness. He was a lifelong outdoorsman who loved to hunt, but his deepest connection to nature shone through his artful documentation of wildlife. He pursued this passion right to the end, using his lens to capture the animals and spaces he so deeply revered.
When he wasn’t in the great outdoors, Bruce was a true history buff, particularly the Civil War, and even considered returning to school for a history degree in later years. This love for the past also fueled a passion for antiquing, where he delighted in the hunt for unique historical artifacts to add to his collection.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Stephen Harris Ellis and Jan David Ellis. He is survived by four daughters, Kimberly (Christopher) Klock of Kennesaw, Georgia, Brittany (Silas) Shirley of Big Sky, Montana, Ashley (James) See of Anaconda, Montana, and Sarah Stewart of Great Falls, Montana, ten grandchildren Trinity, Charlie, Owen, Henley, Ellis, Warren, Jack, Abra, Samuel, and Daniel. He is also survived by one brother, Paul Ellis of Magnolia, Arkansas, two sisters, Nancy Carol (Dexter) Beene of El Dorado, Arkansas and Marianne (Dennis) Hixon of Malvern, Arkansas and a host of nieces and nephews.
There was a private viewing on September 11, 2026. Bruce wished to be cremated and have his ashes buried in the family plot in Stephens, Arkansas. A visitation will start at 9:30am on Saturday, October 3, 2026 at Holy Family Catholic Church in Anaconda. A memorial service will follow at 10:30am.
