Clarion Ellwanger

On Sunday, January 26, 2020, Clarion L. Ellwanger, 85, of rural Dalton, went home to be with his Lord and Savior.  God granted him his wish of dying peacefully in his sleep in the same home where he was born and had lived his whole life.  During a period of declining health, he remained in his home and was cared for by his wife, family, friends, and LB Hospice of Fergus Falls.

Clarion Le Roy Ellwanger was born on November 22, 1934, in the family farm home by Dalton, the son of Clarence and Edna LeNora (Eggum) Ellwanger.  He was baptized in St. Olaf Church, confirmed in Our Saviours Lutheran Church and was a long-time member of Zion-Sarpsborg Free Lutheran Church.  Clarion attended Rural School District #2 through the eighth grade and graduated from the Ashby High School in 1953.

Clarion married Kathy Marie Torgrimson on July 18, 1970, in Bethania Lutheran Church in Rosholt, South Dakota by Rev. David Lerseth.  Clarion was a dairy farmer, had been employed with Lykken Implement of Fergus Falls, Fosse Trucking of Rothsay, Mark Sand and Gravel of Fergus Falls, and then as a mechanic with Johnson-Nelson Masonry of Ashby.  In his retirement he continued his life-long love of farming by doing field work for his long-time neighbor and friend, Tim Risbrudt.  He enjoyed farming, mechanics, old tractors, motorcycles, airplanes, woodworking, metal lathe working, road trips, hunting, and threshing shows.

He is survived by his wife, Kathy; two daughters, Julie (Ken) Eklund of Eau Claire, Wisconsin and Stephanie (Steve) Barnes of Peoria, Arizona; five grandchildren, Spencer and Collin Peterson and Shelby, Shane and Sharlett Barnes; three brothers-in-law, Bob (Betty) Torgrimson, John (Phyllis) Torgrimson and Steve (Pauline) Torgrimson; and by numerous nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.  Clarion was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Nora Ellwanger and his father and mother-in-law, Wilbur and Irene Torgrimson.

Memorial Service: 1:00 PM Saturday, February 1, 2020, at Zion-Sarpsborg Free Lutheran Church in Dalton.

Visitation: Friday from 3 to 5 PM, with a 4:30 PM Prayer Service, at Glende-Nilson Funeral Home in Ashby and one hour prior to the service on Saturday.

Clergy: Rev. Mark Johnson

Interment: Knollwood Memorial Gardens in Fergus Falls.

Funeral Home: Glende-Nilson of Ashby

Condolences:GlendeNilson.Com

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