Ellis Melvia Saums
April 18, 1928 ~ January 16, 2017
Ellis Melvia Saums, 88, died January 16, 2017 at St. Joseph of the Pines in Southern Pines, NC.
Born in Brooklyn on April 18, 1928 to the late John and Carol Shelford Saums he was a graduate of: Erasmus High School, Colgate University, and earned his MBA from Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia. He was a US Air Forces veteran serving during the Korean War.
He worked for many companies as an industrial engineer such as Remington Rand, Proctor and Gamble, General Foods, where he put in the first computerized inventory system for worldwide food distribution. He later worked for Bowater Paper, and Lipton Tea. He was one of the primary industrial contributors in helping to create the Universal Product Code(UPC Code), the predecessor to the Bar Code.
After moving to Pinehurst, Ellis started a management consultancy practice for engineering and operation management. He did work for the North Carolina University system and and was a professor in leadership for the Warrant Officer Program at Fort Bragg.
Ellis was predeceased by his twin brother John.
He is survived by two children: Lauren Grosner and husband James of South Yarmouth, Massachusetts and Paul of Westport, Connecticut; sister, Carol Schults of New Jersey; two grandchildren, Erich and Cole Grosner.
Ellis will be interred with his family.
Powell Funeral Home & Crematory is assisting with the arrangements.
View current weather.
Memories Timeline
Guestbook
Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle
Our deepest condolences to the family. When our loved ones fall asleep in death, words alone cannot ease the pain of our loss. Our loving God Jehovah understands how we feel and he comforts us by means of his word the Bible. Psalm 147:3 reads He (God) hea