Harold E Ellingson

Harold was born May 24, 1922 the son of Elmer and Sadie (Tomlin) Ellingson on a farm two miles south of Edgeley, ND. He attended rural elementary school and graduated from Edgeley High School in 1940.

After high school he worked for Farmers Union Oil in Edgeley for a year. He then farmed with his dad. In 1945, he married Erna Rudolph, and over the next few years, they had 4 children – Diane, David, Denise and Dana.

Shortly after they were married, Harold started working in the Edgeley auction barn as a ring man. He became interested in the auction chant, and practiced it while working on the tractor or driving pickup. He soon began helping the local auctioneer. After mastering the chant, he went into the auction business full scale in 1950.

In the late 1950’s Harold took flying lessons and purchased a Cessna airplane to assist in his auction business. For years he was known as “North Dakota’s Flying Auctioneer.” Any gravel road could become a runway, and it was common for him to taxi into a farmer’s yard to talk about a sale.

Throughout the years Harold sold weekly livestock sales at Edgeley, Ellendale, Jamestown, Valley City, Napoleon, Linton, Hankinson, and Mandan, North Dakota, and Eureka, Leola, and Herreid, South Dakota. Harold was North Dakota State Champion Livestock Auctioneer in 1968.

Harold was involved as the secretary/treasurer of the ND Auctioneer’s Association for 3 years, a director of the National Auctioneer’s Association for 3 years, an active member of Edgeley’s Volunteer Fire Department for 16 years, served on Edgeley’s Credit Union Board for 25 years, was a member of the United Methodist Church and served on the administrative board and as finance chairman, member of Men’s Quartet and Methodist choir for many years, and a member of the Edgeley County Club.

For the last 4 years Harold lived in Manor St. Joseph in Edgeley. He loved it there and received excellent care! The staff and residents were his 2nd family.

Harold was preceded in death by his wife, Erna; his parents; two sisters, Frances Sherbondy and Barbara Hird; and a son-in-law, Allan Greiman.

He is survived by his children, Diane Greiman of Edgeley, ND; David (Vickie) Ellingson of Kellyville, OK, Denise (Kent) Simonsen of Spiritwood Lake, ND, and Dana (Jennifer) Ellingson of El Paso, TX; 7 grandchildren; and 3 great-grandchildren.

Memorial Service: 1:00 p.m., Friday, October 16, 2015 at Wesley United Methodist Church, Edgeley.

Interment : Mt. Hope Cemetery, Edgeley, at a later date.

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