Robert "Doc" Ellingson

Robert P. (Doc) Ellingson, DDS, 90 of Battle Lake, Minnesota passed away Tuesday, December 26, 2023 at Essentia Health in Fargo.

Robert Palmer Ellingson was born on August 12, 1933, in Kenyon, Minnesota, the son of Leonard Benjamin and Myrtle (Jacobson) Ellingson. He graduated from Hastings High School in 1951.    

Robert was married on June 27, 1953, to the love of his life, Phyllis Lundell at St. Ansgar’s Lutheran Church in Cannon Falls, Minnesota.  Robert served in the Air Force and was stationed in Japan during the Korean war while Phyllis continued living in Cannon Falls. He was then stationed at Grandview Air Force Base near Kansas City, Missouri where they lived until his honorable discharge. They moved to Minneapolis while Robert was attending the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. After graduation in 1963, he practiced dentistry in Dodge Center, Minnesota. In 1969, Robert and Phyllis started the Dr. R.P. Ellingson Dental clinic in Battle Lake where Robert became known as “Doc” and he provided excellent care to his patients for more than 30 years. They were blessed with 4 children: Bobby, born in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas; Jim, born in Hastings; and Scott and Lisa, both born in Minneapolis. Doc enjoyed fishing and boating, crossword puzzles, reading about history, raising show chickens, watching the gameshows Jeopardy and Common Knowledge and, of course, the Gophers and Vikings, and visiting with friends and family.  He was a member of First Lutheran Church where he taught Sunday School and was an active member of the Dodge Center and Battle Lake Lions club for over 50 years.  Doc was very proud of his kids, but he was especially proud of his grandkids and their spouses/significant others.  Doc will be remembered for his playful sense of humor, wry smile and love for his family.

He is survived by three children, James (Amy) Ellingson of Willmar, and their daughters, Allie (Tony) Kubes, Emily (Nate) Fremling and Erica (Tom) Kerstetter; Scott (Chutima) Ellingson of Battle Lake, and his sons, Dane (Tasha) Ellingson and Chase (Sara) Ellingson; and Lisa (Ron) Mekalson of Bettendorf, IA, their daughters, Heidi (Cody) Fishman and Jill (Oryn) Weede; two great grandchildren Chloe Kubes and Rowan Weede, his brother Leonard (Kris) Ellingson, and by numerous relatives and friends.

Robert was preceded in death by his wife Phyllis; son, Bobby; parents, Leonard and Myrtle Ellingson; and siblings, Lenora Rapp, Agnes Berger, Joanne Wagnon, Katherine Peterson, Melvin Ellingson, Donald Ellingson, Arlen Ellingson, and infant twin sister Ruth Palma Ellingson. 

There will be a visitation at the Glende-Nilson funeral home in Battle Lake on Saturday, December 30^th, starting at 12 noon, with a prayer service at 1:00 pm.  It will be followed by military honors by the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard. 

Glende-Nilson Funeral Home, Battle Lake is in charge of arrangements.