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The following was submitted by the Winchester Tennis Association:
The Winchester Tennis Association would like to extend its heartfelt gratitude to the late Donnie Ellis for generously bequeathing $10,000 to the Winchester Tennis Association.
Donnie’s unwavering love for the game — and his deep commitment to keeping the Packer Ellis courts in top-notch shape — continue to inspire us.
This generous monetary gift comes at a time when our much-loved courts have fallen into a less-than-optimal state. Our hope is to use these funds in a way that will ensure Donnie’s legacy lives on at the Packer Ellis Courts.
All of us at the WTA are honored to carry his spirit forward through our ongoing work. We hope many of you will join us in celebrating his memory by playing in the upcoming Donnie Ellis Memorial Day Weekend Tournament.
Registration is now open and link is below.
For those who many not have had the pleasure of knowing Donnie, his niece Robin offers the following tribute:
“Donald R. Ellis — known affectionately as Donnie — was a remarkable man and a wonderful uncle to all of us. He was deeply devoted to his five brothers, their wives, and his many nieces and nephews. A talented hockey player and an excellent ballroom dancer, Donnie was also a nature lover and a true New Englander, living simply and purposefully.
“After graduating from Winchester High School, he attended the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMass Amherst. He returned from western Massachusetts and lived at 9 Madison, next to Mystic School, and then later on in life bought a small charming house on Priscilla Lane in Winchester. He also purchased property in Loudon, N.H., where he worked in harmony with the land — chopping his own wood and making his own maple syrup.
“Donnie was a skilled and dedicated landscaper and gardener, and his commitment to the town of Winchester extended beyond his work hours. Not only was he an extraordinary tennis player, but he also donated a lot of his time and ingenuity to maintaining and improving the tennis courts. His signature red pickup truck, with rakes sticking out in the back, became a familiar sight in town.
“Later in life, Donnie married Sandra Eriksson-Ellis, the love of his life. After six years of a happy marriage, Donnie passed away from cancer in October 2002, and the Packer Courts were renamed the Packer-Ellis Courts just a month after.
“Sandra passed away 22 years later, in December 2024.
“In his will, Donnie bequeathed funds to several institutions that he held dear—the Winchester Unitarian Church, the Winchester Library, the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, and the Winchester Tennis Association.”
Donnie Ellis Memorial Day Weekend Tournament
Registration is open for the Annual Donnie Ellis Memorial Day Weekend Tournament, which will take place May 24-26.
All matches are played at Packer-Ellis Clay Courts in Winchester. It is one of the many great opportunities players have to meet new players in the community.
Events:
- Mixed Doubles (Blind Draw All players will be randomly assigned a partner)
- Mens Doubles (Blind Draw All players will be randomly assigned a partner)
- Women’s Doubles (Blind Draw All players will be randomly assigned a partner)
- Family Doubles (sign up and play as a team: Husband-wife, , Father-son, Father-daughter, Mother-son, Mother-daughter, Siblings, Grandparent-grandchild, Same gender male couples, Same gender female couples)
Participant Eligibility
- 2025 Packer Ellis Season Pass or Tournament Pass
- 2025 WTA Membership
- High school age and older
- limit of 2 events per person
- Registration closes Wednesday May 21st
Please email wtawinchester@gmail.com if you have any questions.
You may play in 1 or 2 events maximum.
Players will be randomly assigned a partner for the Mixed, Mens and Women’s Doubles events.
To play in the Family Doubles, please sign with a family member to play as a team.
For more information and registration, click here.
