ElRoy "Duke" Ellingson

Memorial services for ElRoy A. “Duke” Ellingson will be held at 2:00 pm, Saturday, November 7, 2015 at the Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Don Rose will officiate. Interment will be in the Mansfield Lutheran Cemetery at a later date. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Duke died on Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at his home in Kiester.
ElRoy Ardon Ellingson was born on January 28, 1935 in St. James, MN, the son of Joel and Selma (Cleven) Ellingson. He grew up in the Kiester and Mason City areas, graduating from Mason City High School. On December 28, 1954 he was united in marriage to JoAnn Martinie in Mason City. He served his country in the U.S. Army from 1954-55.  Duke owned and operated his the Kiester Food Market. He was a member of the Lutheran Church in Kiester, and served on the Kiester City Council and the Kiester Rescue Squad. He loved visiting with people! Duke enjoyed fishing and always looked forward to his family’s fishing trips up North. Most precious to Duke was just hanging out with his family. He also enjoyed pool league, cribbage, golf, bowling, basketball, football, and baseball.
Survivors include his children Craig (Nancy Swenson) Ellingson of Forest City, IA, Robyn (Jeff) Wacholz, of Alden, and Mary Jo (Bob) Martinson of Marshall, MN; grandchildren Hilary (Lee) Wacholz-Steinhauer, Ron (Brooke Bergeson) Wacholz, Spencer Wacholz, and Grant, Claire, and Connor Martinson; his first great-grandchild is due in December; sisters Gilma Oppedahl and Doreen (Tom) Reisetter; and sisters-in-law Zelda (Alan) Groh and Gwen Ellingson.
Duke was preceded in death by his wife JoAnn, his parents Joel and Selma, his brother Ronald, a sister in infancy, and his brother-in-law Eldo Oppedahl.