Edward “Ed” Ellenson, age 88, of Henning, passed away at his home on April 29, 2024. A Celebration of life will be held on Friday, June 7, 2024, at 11 a.m. at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Moorhead, Minn. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service at church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn.

Edward Neal Ellenson was born January 21, 1935, in F.D., the son of Orvin and Hazel (Halvorson) Ellenson. He graduated from Fergus Falls High School in 1953, Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn., in 1958, and received a master’s degree from NDSU, Fargo, in 1961. He studied at Harvard University during the summer of 1964. He married Ann (Anna Mae Berg) on December 21, 1957.

After college graduation, Ed was an administrator at Concordia College for 22 years, beginning as the college’s only Admissions Counselor. He developed the Financial Aids program, was named Vice President for Admissions and Financial Aids, Vice President for Development and Public Relations, and served as Vice President of the college from 1977 to 1980. During those years, Ed was a consultant for the Education Testing Service of Princeton, New Jersey and was a member of the College Scholarship Board. In 1980, he and Ann purchased Fevig Insurance Agency in Moorhead where they worked together as owners and agents until 1995.

Ed was a very active member of the FM community serving on the FM Area Foundation Board of Governors, the Moorhead Public Service Commission, the Moorhead Charter Commission, the Moorhead Planning Commission, the Board of Equalization, and he served as President of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.

In 2001, Ed and Ann moved to their Middle Leaf Lake home near Henning, where they quickly became part of their new beloved community.

Ed’s life was rich with family, friends, and adventure. He loved racing his 1966 Porche 911 in vintage racing events, flying as a private pilot and traveling with Ann throughout the world. For ten years they traveled throughout the country in their motor home before settling in Surprise, Arizona as their winter home.

Ed was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend. One of his great joys was building memories with his beloved grandchildren at Middle Leaf Lake. They filled his heart with love, and he adored them.

Preceding Ed in death is his wife Ann, his parents Orvin and Hazel Ellenson Rustad and his stepfather, Leonard Rustad.

He is survived by two daughters: Elizabeth (Craig) Ordal of North Oaks, Minn., and Rebecca Ellenson (Steve Cherne) of Henning; six grandchildren: Kristen (Rob) Stroik, Sara (Tucker Pavek) Ordal, Peter (Kayse Kruschke) Ellenson-Myers, Cora (Christian) Preston, Casey (Victor) Wahl, and Kelsey Cherne; many cousins, nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, as well as countless friends he considered to be part of his family.

Please visit www.karvonenfuneralhome.com to leave memorials and condolences on Ed’s Tribute Wall.

Arrangements provided by Belmont-Karvonen Funeral & Cremation Service of Henning.