Leota Annette Ellison, 82 died peacefully on Monday, May 26, 2008 at Oakland Park Communities in Thief River Falls, MN.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, May 30, 2008 at Zion Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls, MN with Rev. Ale Tulu officiating. Burial will follow at North LaMoure Cemetery, in rural LaMoure County which is south of Valley City, ND at 4:30 PM on Friday.

Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the funeral at the church.

Leota Annette Henrikson was born April 29, 1926 in LaMoure County, North Dakota the daughter of Herman and Irene (Anderson) Henrikson. She was baptized and confirmed into the Lutheran faith.

She was raised on a farm in LaMoure County, North Dakota and attended rural school near their home. Leota attended high school in LaMoure and graduated in 1944. She entered Mercy School of Nursing in Valley City, North Dakota and graduated as a registered nurse in 1947.

She worked at Mercy Hospital in Valley City for several months until her marriage to Carlton Ellison on September 28, 1947 at St. Ansgar Lutheran Church near LaMoure. They resided in Carrington, North Dakota where Carlton was employed at the Foster County Independent newspaper and print shop and Leota was employed at the Carrington Hospital for a number of years.

In 1971 they moved to Willmar, Minnesota where she worked at Rice Memorial Hospital until 1983 when they retired and moved to their lake home at Henning, Minnesota. In 1993 they moved to Moorhead, Minnesota and in 2008 moved to Thief River Falls, Minnesota.

She truly enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who were the apple of her eye. She enjoyed entertaining with friends and family at their lake home on Middle Leaf Lake. Throughout her years, Leota especially enjoyed quilting and in her later years made use of the internet and e-mail to help with her quilting.

Survivors include husband of 60 years, Carlton of Thief River Falls; sons, Clair (Suzy) Ellison of Thief River Falls, Minnesota and Richard (Kathy) Ellison of Devils Lake, North Dakota; two grandchildren, Chris (Nicky) Ellison of Thief River Falls and Lindsay Ellison of Fargo, North Dakota; two great grandchildren, Caitlynn and Brianne Ellison; brother and sisters, Arlean Quackenbush of Austin, Minnesota, Harvey (Betty) Henrikson of Henning, Minnesota and Violet (Eldon) Bergman of Frazee, Minnesota; sister-in-law, Donna Henrikson of Albert Lea, Minnesota; and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents; grandson, Michael Ellison; brother, Robert Henrikson; brother-in-law, Robert Quackenbush; sister-in-law, Fernande Henrikson; and nephew, Steve Quackenbush.