Lillian Ellingson

Lillian Baker Ellingson, 90, a longtime Sun City resident died August 4, 2013 at the Glencroft Care Center in Glendale AZ where she lived for the past 2 months of her life. Born in Hazelton ND, Lillian was the oldest daughter in a family of 14 children. She attended high school in Braddock ND. Following graduation from there she completed the nursing program at St. Alexius Hospital in Bismarck ND in 1945. During nursing school she was among the first in the U.S. to be inducted into the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps in 1943. Married to Franklin D. Ellingson on August 2, 1945 they had two children Jacquilyn and Jered. Throughout their 63 year marriage Lillian and Frank lived and worked in ND, CA, WY and AZ. Her 53 year nursing career included numerous medical surgical positions primarily in orthopedics and neurosurgery. In addition, she was a private duty nurse, a school nurse at Westwood Christian School in Phoenix, a camp nurse at the Assembly of God camp in Prescott AZ and a teacher of nursing at the Southwest Bible School in Phoenix AZ. However, her true avocation was found in the 31 years she spent working in long-term care at Bells Lodge in Phoenix and Sun Valley Lodge in Sun City where she retired at age 75. Prior to and after retirement she and her husband volunteered as teachers/ tutors/mentors in the Surprise AZ School District. Lillian loved her family, her God, her friends, her Chihuahua’s, as well as all forms of gardening and travel. She enjoyed keeping in touch with family and friends throughout the U.S. Her garden remained productive (fruits and vegetables) as well as beautiful (irises, geraniums and sweet peas) until the last months of her life. Lillian traveled extensively with her husband to almost every state in the union, as well as Israel, Jordon, Italy, the Netherlands, Ireland, Norway and multiple locations in Mexico and Canada. She was an active member of the Assembly of God church for over 50 years and more recently attended the Amazing Grace church in Peoria AZ. Lillian is survived by her two children Jacquilyn Kay Cox (David, deceased in 1995) of Phoenix AZ; and Jered James Ellingson (Vivian) of Salt Lake City UT; a grandson Jered Lee Ellingson of Phoenix AZ; three sisters: Florence McClean (Jamestown ND), Olive Ackerman (Lynchburg VA) and Mabel Noot (Valley City ND); two brothers: Ray Baker (Jamestown ND) and Grant Baker (Lamoure ND); as well as numerous nieces, nephews and their families. She is preceded in death by her mother Hazel, father Bryant, husband Franklin, son-in-law David, three sisters and six brothers. Memorial services will be held at the Menke Funeral & Cremation Center located at 12420 N 103rd Ave., Sun City AZ on August 12, 2013 at 1:00pm. She will be interred with her husband at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona at a private service. The family suggests that memorials be sent to the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, the American Diabetes Association or the Operation SMILE.