Arthur Ellis, an associate professor at San Diego State University, died Dec. 2 while visiting family in Atlanta.

The 61-year-old professor in the School of Social Work had been undergoing treatment for lung cancer.

“His motto was inner-city youths are not throw-away kids,” Kate Ocull, a co-worker, said yesterday. “He worked hard in the community to solve the problems of gangs and drugs.”

Ocull said even though he was on sick-leave this semester, Ellis was still extremely active in his “Legislative Days” program at SDSU.

“He still came in to work with groups,” Ocull said.

The program, pioneered by Ellis, takes social-work students to Sacramento each year to meet with legislators and provide input on public policy.

Ocull said someone will be appointed to continue the program.

After growing up in Harlem with a family who immigrated to the United States from Bermuda, Ellis attended Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn. While at Fisk, Ellis had the opportunity to meet the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Later, Ellis went on to earn a graduate degree from the Columbia School of Social Work and was a faculty member at Skidmore College and Poughkeepsie Junior College, both in New York. He came to SDSU in 1978.

Ellis was an original member of San Diego’s Task Force on Drugs and Alcohol and was key in implementing the county’s Conference on Gangs and Drugs. He also moderated subsequent annual youth conferences called “The Mayor’s Youth Forum.”

He was a member of the California State Task Force on Mental Health and Juvenile Delinquency and served as chairman for the San Diego Citizens’ Review Board on Police Practices.

In 1993, he was named to the honor roll of Children Now, a national nonprofit children’s advocacy program.

“He was always there to help out,” Ocull said.

He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Yvonne; his father, Arthur Ellis, of New York City; a brother, Henry Ellis, of New Jersey; two daughters, Laurel Brown, of Riverside, and Tamara Bloomer, of Ames, Iowa; a son, Daryl Ellis, of Columbus, Ga.; and four grandchildren.

A fund to carry on the Legislative Days program has been established in his name. Donations may be sent to the SDSU School of Social Work, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-4119.