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Nathan Snow Ellis III, 93, of Falmouth, Mass. and Mocksville, died Friday, Oct. 18 at Falmouth Hospital following a brief illness.

He was the son of the late Nathan Snow Ellis Jr. of Falmouth and Alexina Hunter of Scotland and is the eighth generation of a family (Ellis/Pierce) that spans back to the 1700s on Cape Cod. “Pete,” as he was known growing up in Falmouth, attended local schools through the 10th grade and graduated from Manlius Military School in Syracuse, N.Y. He served in the Marine Corps until after the war ended then served in the National Guard from 1947-1951. He graduated Brown University in 1950 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and worked for Massachusetts Department of Public Works from 1950-1956, as Commissioner of Public Works for New Bedford, Mass. and then water superintendent from 1956-1963. He created a Department of Public Works for Falmouth and served as director until 1983. In his retirement he created the Mashpee Water District and served as manager from 1988-1992. His last employment was as a disaster assistant engineer for FEMA, 1992-1998. He served as an elected county commissioner in Barnstable County and an elected Falmouth Selectman. He served as a director and president of the Barnstable County Agricultural Society, a director of Oak Grove Cemetery, a 70-year member of Falmouth Rod & Gun Club, a member of First Baptist Church in Pocasset, a Mason and a Shriner. He loved to hunt and fish, garden, and fix things which usually required yet another shed. He loved a camp on North Beach in Chatham and the times with family and friends on Pleasant Bay.

Survivors: his wife, Vivian; his son, Nathan (Patricia) of Kennebunkport, Maine; his daughter, Cynthia Ellis (Kevin Otto) of Hadley, Mass.; his stepson, Kris Phillips (Lynn) of Hingham, Mass.; 6 grandchildren, Daniel Ellis of Falmouth, Nathan Ellis (Leah) of Hudson, Mass., Alex Hadfield of Nantucket, Elizabeth Richardson (Taylor) of Arundel, Maine, Katherine Ellis of Charlestown, Mass. and Christopher Phillips of Scituate, Mass; and 3 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service was held Nov. 9 at the First Congregational Church, 68 Main St., Falmouth. Burial followed in Oak Grove Cemetery on Jones Road, Falmouth. A gathering of family and friends will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12 at First Baptist Church of Mocksville.

Memorials: Oak Grove Cemetery, PO Box 489, Falmouth MA 02541.