Robert D. "Mike" Ellison, an assistant trainer to James Garroutte, died March 13 in Arkansas of cancer. He was 43."He had been with me 10 years. He was a good person and a good horseman," said Garroutte. Before going to work for Garroutte, Ellison had trained on his own, and for several years operated a small stable at Oaklawn. He was a native of Pine Bluff.
Survivors include his wife, Robin, and a daughter, Kimberly Mills, of Texas. A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. Friday in Oaklawn's Racetrack Chaplaincy Building. Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday at Shannon Road Baptist Church in Pine Bluff.
