Dale Edward Ellis

ELGIN – Dale Edward Ellis, 75, of Elgin, Iowa died Thursday, February 24, 2022. Dale was born on October 15, 1946 in Wausau, Wisconsin to Kenneth and Agnes (Olson) Ellis. He was baptized on December 19, 1946 at the Grace Lutheran Church, Green Valley Township in Marathon County, Wisconsin. Dale was confirmed at the St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Postville, Iowa on April 10, 1960. He attended all 12 years of school in Postville and graduated from high school in 1965. While in high school he participated in football, wrestling, and track. He was a member of the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. While in Boy Scouts, Dale received the Order of the Arrow. In 1964, he was selected by the Postville American Legion to attend the Iowa Hawkeye Boys’ State. Dale was quite proud of this honor. He was even prouder when both of his sons, Mike and Matt, were selected to go to Boys’ State and his daughter, Nikki, was selected to attend Girls’ State. After graduation he attended Rochester Junior College in Rochester, Minnesota for one year. 

In July of 1964, Dale’s Uncle Lloyd “Curly”, Aunt Betty, cousins Shari, Kim, and Dawn Ellis horn swoggled Dale to go with them to the Kelly farm near Rossville, Iowa where he would meet his life long sweetheart, Connie Kelly. Dale and Connie were married on June 30, 1966 at the St. Paul’s Chapel in Postville. They became the parents of five children Michael, Tracey, Kelli, Nicole, and Matthew. They quietly observed their 55th wedding anniversary last June and treasured the almost 58 years that they had together. 

Dale has always been a hardworking, industrious individual. When he was eight years old he started his own lawn mowing business, mowing lawns for many elderly ladies in town. In his junior high days, Dale worked for Johnny Martins with the home milk delivery. While in high school, he worked for his father in the Blacksmith Shop and he also worked at Cal and Cora’s Phillips 66 gas station. Dale never lost his strong work ethic. 

After Dale and Connie were married, Dale worked for Carpenter and Kraft Ready Mix Cement Company in Postville for two years. In June of 1968 they moved to Des Moines, Iowa where Dale was an area fieldman for the U-Haul Company of Iowa and Nebraska. Dale worked there until they moved back to Postville and he started working for Interstate Power Company as a meter reader in April of 1970. In June of 1972, they moved to Elgin, Iowa when Dale started working as a maintenance and service man with Interstate Power Company. During this time he received his Journeyman Lineman certification. In 1986, Dale became the Service Rep for Interstate Power, a position which he held until he retired from Alliant in September 2004 ending a 34 year career. Dale was a member of the IBEW Local 949 Union. He was a former Boy Scout leader in Postville and Elgin and a former member of the Postville and Elgin Fire Departments. He was part of the first EMT’s to serve the Elgin community. 

Dale is survived by his wife Connie; children and grandchildren Michael Ellis, Josh (Nikki), Alex, and Courtland; Tracey Ellis, Keegan, Gabby, and Skylar; Kelli (Craig) Popenhagen, Reece, Katie, and Connor; Nicole (Richard) Steffans, Zachery (Becky), Mitchell (Danielle), Jacob (special friend Nayelli Vega), and Isaac; Matthew (Lisa) Ellis, Taylor, and Braeden; 4 great-grandchildren: Colin and Molly Ellis, and Bentley and Addison Steffans; sister and brother-in-law Betty and Milo Helgerson; sister-in­law Debra Roberts, and brothers-in-law Dennis and Dan Kelly. Many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, many great-great nieces and nephews, many cousins, and friends. 

Dale was preceded in death by his parents Kenneth and Agnes Ellis; his siblings and their spouses Doris (Harold “Hoot”) Meyer, Jane (Lyle) Ruckdaschel, Donna (Robert “Bill”) Harris, Sr., Gene (Karen) Ellis; nephew Rick Ruckdaschel and his wife Lorna; parents in-law Forest “Toey” and Evelyn Kelly; brother-in-law Don Roberts; sister-in-law Lynette Kelly; and niece Keri Kelly.

A Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 pm on Friday, March 4, 2022 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Postville, Iowa. There will also be a one hour visitation before services at the church on Saturday.

Funeral Service will be at 11:00 am on Saturday, March 5, 2022 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Postville, Iowa with Pastor Lynn Noel as the officiant.

Inurnment will be held at a later date. Leonard-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Elgin, Iowa is assisting the family with arrangements.