Clifford Ellgen

Clifford H. Ellgen, 95, 405 27th Ave. S., Clear Lake, Iowa, died Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012 at Muse-Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, Mason City, Iowa.  A funeral service for Clifford was held Friday, Nov. 16, at Zion Lutheran Church with Pastor Kirk Wilke officiating.  Interment was at the Clear Lake Cemetery with full military honors provided by the Clear Lake V.F.W.

      Memorials may be given to Hospice of North Iowa or the Apple Valley Assisted Living in Clear Lake.

      Clifford Howard Ellgen, son of Clifford and Bertha (Frank) Ellgen was born Aug. 25, 1917 in Carpenter, Iowa.  He attended and graduated from Carpenter High School in 1935.  Clifford was united in marriage to Lois Perkins on Oct. 20, 1940 in Northwood at her parents’ home.  To this union two children were born: Paul and Patricia.

     Clifford worked for Durkee and Priem Lumber Yard in Carpenter until he was drafted into the United States Navy in April of 1943.  He served as a Motor Machinist Mate on an LCI (Landing Craft Infantry) that landed troops on Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944.  He was honorably discharged in November of 1945 in Minneapolis.  

     After the war, Clifford and Lois made their home in Carpenter, and Clifford resumed working for Durkee and Priem.  In January 1946 they moved to Hampton, Iowa, where Clifford worked for Chaffin Hardware and for Fred Meyer’s Firestone store.  In 1947 Clifford and Lois moved to Clear Lake where Clifford worked at Farmers Cooperative Lumber Company (now North Iowa Cooperative) as the Assistant Manager for nine years.  Then he worked for Nichols Wire and Aluminum and Cashway Lumber Company, both in Mason City.  In 1970 he returned to Farmers Lumber in Clear Lake, where he was the Manager from 1970 until his retirement in 1982.  He relocated the company’s operations to a new facility at its current offices on North 14th Street.  After retiring, Clifford and Lois continued to make their home in Clear Lake while spending winters in Texas, Florida and Arizona.  Clifford and Lois moved into Apple Valley Assisted Living in 2008.

     Clifford enjoyed counted cross stitch and had a passion for working with wood, making many furniture pieces and clocks.  He loved to travel, fish, and garden.  

     He was a member of Zion Lutheran Church and a past member of the Clear Lake Rotary. 

     Clifford is survived by his wife of 72 years, Lois Ellgen, Clear Lake; son, Paul Clifford Ellgen and his wife, Katherine, Fort Myers, Fla.; daughter, Patricia Lynette Ellgen Burckhalter, Lake Bluff, Ill.; grandchildren, Sarah Ellgen, Juneau, Ala., Clifford Ellgen, Pasadena, Calif.,  Rebecca Burckhalter, Beaufort, N.C., and Robert Burckhalter, Providence, R.I.; along with one great-grandchild, Hunter Jensen.

     Clifford was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Louis Ellgen; and son-in-law, Tom Burckhalter.

     Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.