Ellis C. Oldham (2012)

ALEXANDER, OLDHAM, HARR-LAGIN, PETERSON, SANDER, SIMONTON

Posted By: Shirley Keating (email)
Date: 11/8/2023 at 18:04:40

McLarens Resthaven Chapel
Des Moines, IA

Ellis C. Oldham

Ellis C. Oldham, 97, died peacefully Friday at Taylor House in Des Moines.

He was born in Chicago in 1915, the first of Ella and Coyne Oldham's three sons. The family moved to Des Moines when Ellis was young and he remained there for life. A Roosevelt High School graduate, he continued his education at Iowa State University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry. Ellis continued his education with Masters work at Virginia Military Institute. He served in the US Army during World War II, in New Guinea. After the war, he began his long career as director of the clinical laboratory at the VA Hospital in Des Moines.

Ellis married Trudy Alexander in 1950 and they recently observed their 62nd anniversary. On their wedding night they moved into their Windsor Heights home, much of which Ellis built.

An avid tennis player well into his 80's, he was also a proficient snow skier and enjoyed sailing and water skiing at their summer cabin in Minnesota. A voracious reader and lifelong learner, Ellis could carry on an intelligent conversation about nearly any subject.

Ellis is survived by his caring wife, Trudy; daughters, Nancy Oldham of Windsor Heights and Pam Petersen (Mick) of Davis, California. His grandchildren are Allyson Sander (Eric), Kelsey Harr-Lagin (Adam), Elan Simonton, Matt, Drew and Nathan Petersen; and a great-granddaughter, Lauren Sander.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m., Monday, April 30 at McLaren's Chapel. Funeral services will be 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at McLaren's with interment at Resthaven Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Taylor House.

Link to Memorial
 

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