Nina F. Ellingson

Nina Faye Ellingson, age 91, of Watertown, SD passed away on Monday, April 29, 2024 at Avantara Watertown.  Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel in Watertown with Rev. John W. MacDonald and Rev. James McNees officiating.  Music will be provided by Rev. & Mrs. John W. MacDonald and by Carol Jean (Ellingson) Handsaker, organist.

Visitation will be at the Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel in Watertown on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, from 5-7 p.m. and one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at the Norwegian Riverview Cemetery near Niobrara, NE at a later date.

Nina was born April 30, 1932, to Elling and Antonetta (Ann) (Haugen) Ellingson of Niobrara, NE.  She attended school in Niobrara and later graduated with a B.A. degree in Education and in Music from People’s Bible College in Colorado Springs, CO, then obtained a B.S. degree in Elementary Education in Ohio. She taught school for 25 years in several church schools in the eastern US until she was needed at home in 1986 to help care for her aging mother, after which time she also gave piano lessons to a number of students as well as doing some home health care work.

Nina was an accomplished pianist & committed a number of pieces to memory.  She played both organ & piano for church and could play several other instruments as well.  Hundreds of students benefited from the music lesson she gave down through the years.  She loved music and everyone enjoyed hearing her play, including the residents of Avantara Watertown where she resided at the time of her passing.  Her mother and others for whom she cared always requested her to play for them because it was so relaxing and uplifting.

She was a member of the Evangelical Wesleyan Church of rural Watertown and was always involved in church activities.  She served as church treasurer for many years and also taught Sunday School.  She loved the Lord above all else and faithfully prayed and read her Bible daily.

Grateful for having shared her life is her sister, Bernita Ellingson of Watertown; a brother-in-law, Gaylen Tierney of Watertown; Larry Johnson of Mountain Home, AR; a nephew, Bryan (Becky) Tierney and family of South Shore, SD; and many other nieces and nephews from out-of-state.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, John and Gale Ellingson; and three sisters, Eula (Eugene) Gould, Kleone (Don) Hunter; and Carol (Gaylen) Tierney; a sister-in-law, Alyce Johnson; and a niece, Diane McGee.

She will be greatly missed by all, especially by her sister, Bernita, with whom she lived for many years.

“Oh think! – to step on shore, and that shore Heaven – to take hold of a hand, and find it God’s hand – to breathe a new air, and find it celestial air – to feel invigorated and find it immortality. Oh think! – to pass from a storm and a tempest for one unbroken Day –

To wake up and find it glory!”

From Oliver of the Mill

Arrangements by Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel www.crawfordosthus.com Watertown, Hayti, De Smet, Bryant, Arlington, Lake Preston, Oldham

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