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Darrel Ellison, age 88, of Lemmon, SD, passed away on Wednesday, September 20, 2023 at the Five Counties Nursing Home in Lemmon, SD.

Funeral services for Darrel will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 27, 2023 at the Calvary Lutheran Church in Lemmon, SD.  Pastor Charlotte Kvale will officiate with burial and military honors to follow in the Greenhill Cemetery.

Visitation with the family present will be from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. followed by a family service at 7:00 p.m. all on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon, SD.

Darrel Edward Ellison was born on December 27, 1934, in Grant Co., ND, to Edward and Ora (Dokken) Ellison.   He passed away on September 20, 2023 at the Five Counties Nursing Home in Lemmon, SD.

Darrel was raised on the family farm near Thunder Hawk, SD, the second son born out of four brothers.  He was baptized Lutheran on April 27, 1935 into the Lutheran Church.  He graduated grade school in 1949 and attended Lemmon High School where he graduated on May 21, 1953.  Darrel joined the National Guard 109th Engineering Co. in 1956.  He was activated to the US Army in Germany where he spent two years.  He was honorably discharged in 1961.

He was united in marriage to Erna "Toots" Hintz on June 5, 1960 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Leipzig, ND.  To this marriage two children were born, Bryan in 1960 and Stacy in 1964.  They lived in Thunder Hawk until Darrel's elevator accident in 1961.  Following his accident they moved to Lemmon.

Darrel healed for over a year and began working at Wheeler Manufacturing for many years.  He also bar tended at the Ranger Bar and farmed after work and on the weekends.

In the early 1980's Darrel went to work full time as the maintenance man at Five Counties Nursing Home in Lemmon.   He retired in 2007.

Following his retirement, he and Toots, did some traveling and spent time together, he also helped his son-in-law on the farm for many years.

Darrel enjoyed his grandkids and great-grandkids.  He also loved waxing cars and working in his shop, fishing, and just being out in the country.  Darrel and Toots loved visiting with family and friends. He loved cards and taught each of his kids and grandkids to play rummy and that's how they learned their numbers.

He was a lifelong member of Calvary Lutheran Church and will be remembered for his kindness, smile, hard work and his love for his family.

Darrel is survived by his son, Bryan Ellison, Bismarck, ND; daughter, Stacy (Mitch) Daley, SD; brothers, Mitchell (Edna) Ellison, Lemmon, SD and Dean (Lila) Ellison, Thunder Hawk, SD; brother-in-law, Dave Hintz, Lemmon, SD; sister-in-law, Connie Ellison, Dickinson, ND, Donna (Bill) Wruck and Kathy Hintz, Bismarck, ND; grandchildren, Jeremy (Amber) Malloy, Chris (Courtney) Ellison, Corey (Tiffany) Ellison, Carrie (Jake) Griffin, Chelsey (Scott) Reede, Lacy (Josh) Hoff, Holly Daley and Amy (Dan) LeFebre; great-grandchildren, Aiden Hoff, Kolby Hoff, Ryker Douglas, Everlee Ellison, Maylee Ellison and Landon, Angelica, Emma and Ella Malloy and Paxon Reede and baby Ellison due in March of 2024; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Erna Ellison; his parents, Edward and Ora Ellison; one brother, Larry "Shorty" Ellison and brother-in-law, Kenney Hintz.