Mary E. Ellis

Mary E. Ellis, age 90, of Foley, MN, formerly of Litchfield, died on February 7, 2011 at the Foley Nursing Home in Foley, MN. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, February 12, 2011 at the United Methodist Church, Litchfield, MN, with Pastor Bill Kerr officiating. Visitation will be held on Friday from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM at Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home, Litchfield, MN, and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Interment will be held in Lake Ripley Cemetery, Litchfield, MN. Mary Esther (Baldridge) Ellis was born on May 22, 1920 in Des Moines, Iowa to John S. and Esther (Richey) Baldridge. Her father's job with Northwestern Bell Telephone took the family to Council Bluffs (1924-1930 kindergarten - 3rd grade), Sioux City (1930 - 1938 4th - 12th grade), and back to Des Moines (1938). She graduated from East High School in Sioux City, Iowa in 1938. Mary Esther went to Park College in Parkville, MO for 1 year. She then transferred to Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa where she attended for 2 years, and where she met her husband, J. Eugene Ellis. WWII interrupted her education and she began working at Northwestern Bell Telephone as a long distance telephone operator supervisor in Des Moines. Mary Esther married J. Eugene Ellis on January 10, 1943 at Central Presbyterian Church in Des Moines, Iowa. J. E. was in the Army and returned to the States on their 3rd anniversary. After the war ended, they moved to Orange City, Iowa where they lived for 8 1/2 years. Their daughters Virginia, Jean, and Barbara were born there. In 1954 they moved to Buffalo, Minnesota, where their daughter Karen was born. While living in Buffalo, Mary Esther went to St. Cloud State to finish her education, graduating in 1965 with an elementary education degree, and a library certification. She worked in Delano and Buffalo as a teacher. In 1967 the family moved to Litchfield, Minnesota, where she was a school librarian for 15 years, retiring in 1982. They moved to Foley, MN in August of 2007. Mary Esther and J. E. enjoyed traveling, visiting most of the 50 states, and 17 countries. She enjoyed reading, sewing, Hardanger, Counted Cross Stitch, quilting, baking, and painting. She was active in the American Reformed Church in Orange City, and the United Methodist Churches in Buffalo and Litchfield, United Methodist Women, church circles, and Eastern Star, where she was a member for over 50 years. She is survived by her husband J. Eugene Ellis of Foley, MN; daughters: Virginia (Daryl) Jensen of Fairmont, MN; Jean (John) Tulkki of Cold Spring, MN; Barbara (Kevin) Dunn of New Ulm, MN; and Karen (Daniel) Martens of Foley, MN. She has 10 grandchildren: Reid (Deb) Jensen; Ryan (Michelle) Jensen; Michael (Amy Sebelien) Tulkki; Brian Tulkki, Lisa (Brandon) Messerly; Jayme (Nate) Westling; Joel (Emily) Dunn; Janelle (David) Daniel; Susan Martens; Brenda Martens, and 12 great grandchildren; a sister Betty Maifeld of Canon City, CO and a brother John (Dorothy) Baldridge of Grandview, W A, a sister-in-law, Joyce Ellis of Rockwell City, IA and nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death were her parents, John·S. and Esther Baldridge, a sister Irma Baldridge (1926), her father- and mother-in-law, V. Eugene and Myrtle Ellis, a brother- in-law Lawrence Ellis, sister-in-law Margaret (Peg) Baldridge, a brother-in-law Darrel Maifeld and a niece Betsy Maifeld.Previous Events Visitation Friday, February 11, 2011 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home 316 Sibley Avenue South Litchfield, MN 55355 Visitation Saturday, February 12, 2011 11:00 AM United Methodist Church 1000 South Sibley Litchfield, MN 55355 Visitation Saturday, February 12, 2011 12:00 PM Riplely Cemetery 316 Sibley Avenue South Litchfield, MN 55355