James David ELLIS, Sr.

ELLIS, LOCKMILLER, GARDALEN, KNELLER, HOUT, CHAPMAN, HENDRICKS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/10/2011 at 21:58:01

James Ellis, 80, of Fort Dodge, Iowa formerly of Dows, Iowa

February 18, 1931 -- June 5, 2011

Visitation: June 7, 2011 - 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Gunderson Funeral Chapel

Service: June 8, 2011 - 11:00 am
St. Olaf Lutheran Church

Services: Funeral services will be 11:00 AM Wednesday at St. Olaf Lutheran Church with Rev. John Sersland officiating. Burial will be at 2:00 PM Wednesday at the Otis Grove Cemetery rural Dows, Iowa with full military honors.
Visitation: Visitation will be from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM Tuesday at the Gunderson Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

James David Ellis Sr., the son of David and Essie “Nancy” (Lockmiller) Ellis was born February 18, 1931, in Rockwell City, IA and graduated in 1949 from Rockwell City High School. Jim was drafted into the United States Army during the Korean War where he served for two years. After his discharge from the Army, Jim attended watch making school in Elgin, IL. After his schooling, Jim started a watch repair shop in Fort Dodge. In 1955, he moved to Dows, Iowa where he owned and operated the Ellis Jewelry Store. On December 29, 1956, Jim married Ila Gardalen and in 1969, he and his family moved to Fort Dodge where Jim worked for Kirkberg Jewelry. Jim started a wholesale watch and jewelry repair company on October 1, 1979 and retired in 2005. Since March of this year he has been a resident of Tompkins Memorial Health Center. Jim loved fishing, traveling, being along the river, and watching for deer or turkey. Jim loved spending time with his family, especially loved his time with his grandchildren and great granddaughter.

http://www.gundersonfuneralhome.com/memorial.php?Listing_id=868

****************************************
Fort Dodge Messenger - Iowa
June 7, 2011

James David Ellis, 80, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, died Sunday, June 5, 2011, at the Tompkins Memorial Health Center in Fort Dodge. Funeral services will be 11:00 AM Wednesday at St. Olaf Lutheran Church with Rev. John Sersland officiating. Burial will be at 2:00 PM Wednesday at the Otis Grove Cemetery rural Dows, Iowa with full military honors. Visitation will be from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM Tuesday at the Gunderson Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

Jim is survived by his wife, Ila; two sons, James Jr. (Teresa) Ellis and Mark Ellis; three grandchildren and a great granddaughter, Brandon (Trisha) Ellis and their daughter, Ardyn; Christopher Ellis and Corey Ellis all of Fort Dodge. He is also survived by his brothers and sisters, Helen (Don) Kneller of Lytton, IA, Robert Dean (Kristene) Ellis of Rockwell City, Pauline (Merle) Hout of Hendersonville, NV, and Joan (Gerald) Chapman of Rockwell City. He is preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Irene Hendricks and a brother, Keith Ellis.

James David Ellis Sr., the son of David and Essie "Nancy" (Lockmiller) Ellis was born February 18, 1931, in Rockwell City, IA and graduated in 1949 from Rockwell City High School. Jim was drafted into the United States Army during the Korean War where he served for two years. After his discharge from the Army, Jim attended watch making school in Elgin, IL. After his schooling, Jim started a watch repair shop in Fort Dodge. In 1955, he moved to Dows, Iowa where he owned and operated the Ellis Jewelry Store. On December 29, 1956, Jim married Ila Gardalen and in 1969, he and his family moved to Fort Dodge where Jim worked for Kirkberg Jewelry. Jim started a wholesale watch and jewelry repair company on October 1, 1979 and retired in 2005. Since March of this year he has been a resident of Tompkins Memorial Health Center. Jim loved fishing, traveling, being along the river, and watching for deer or turkey. Jim loved spending time with his family, especially loved his time with his grandchildren and great granddaughter.