Clair Ellison, 73 of Thief River Falls, MN passed away on Friday, July 8 ^th , 2022 at the Thief River Care Center in Thief River Falls, MN with his loving family at his side.

Funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM Wednesday, July 13, 2022 at Zion Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls, MN with Rev. Mark Helgeland officiating.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service on Wednesday at Zion Lutheran Church.  Burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery in Thief River Falls.

Clair Jerome Ellison was born on July 19 ^th , 1948 at Carrington Hospital in Carrington, ND the son of Carl and Leota (Henrikson) Ellison.  He was baptized in the Lutheran faith.  He graduated from Carrington Senior High in the class of 1966.

After high school, Clair attended classes at the University of North Dakota, graduating on December 19 ^th ,1975.  After graduating, he worked the front desk at the Holiday Inn where he met his future wife, Kathleen "Suzy" Hesse.  They were married August 24, 1972 at First Lutheran Church in East Grand Forks.  They lived in Grand Forks where they continued to work at the Holiday Inn.  In 1973 they moved to Moorhead, MN where they worked at the Ramada Inn.  Finally settling in Thief River Falls in 1975 where they helped open the Best Western.

After the Best Western opened, Clair was recruited by one of the owners to work as the office manager at Evans Steel, Wool, and Fur, eventually taking ownership until his retirement.  Clair and Suzy moved to San Tan Valley, AZ in 2015 and returned to Thief River Falls in 2018.  Sadness struck on December 31 ^st , 2018, when Suzy, the love of his life, passed away.  He did find a measure of comfort sharing stories about his granddaughters Caitlynn and Brianne.  His face would brighten up as he would tell of their latest activities and accomplishments.  He and Suzy enjoyed taking car trips across the countryside with Myles and Kathy as well as hosting visits from friends and family wherever they lived.  He also enjoyed taking "his girls" for rides in his Firebird, where, despite grandma's insistence that he behave, the girls could always compel grandpa to go faster!

While enduring his own health issues over the last 4+ years of his life, he would always have a smile on his face and made a point to make others laugh as well.  He always made a point to joke and get his healthcare friends laugh, as well as when he and his son would get into their, as he would call it, "Mutt and Jeff " routine… often times getting the innocent bystanders to chime in on the act. He was an inspiration of optimism, determination, and strength that many had commented on and admired.

Survivors include his son Chris (Nicky) Ellison; grandchildren Caitlynn and Brianne all of Thief River Falls; brother Richard (Kathy) Ellison of Grand Forks; sisters-in-law, Michelle Mazur, Ronda (Rick) Hogan all of Grand Forks, Adele (David) Rosencrans of Thief River Falls and Pauleen (John) Hinkley of Halstad, MN; nieces and nephews Lindsay (Kal) Triplett of Larimore, ND, Alica Uhlir of Grand Forks, Ashleigh (Steve) Staveteig of Thompson, ND, Chad (Jenny) Rosencrans of Thief River Falls, Suzie (Darren) Holter of Cook, MN, Katie (Shawn) Zabel of Fargo, ND, Nathan (Holly) Hinkley of Boca Raton, FL; and many other relatives and friends.

He is preceded in death by his soulmate and wife; parents; parents-in-law Adelbert and Jean Hesse; nephew Michael Ellison.