LINGLE – Funeral services for Barbara Ann Ellis, 93, will be held 1 p.m. Friday July 19, 2024, at the Lingle Community Presbyterian Church with Pastor Jason Harshberger officiating. Burial will follow in the Hillcrest Cemetery in Lingle, and the casket will be closed. Barb passed away July 13, 2024, at Goshen Healthcare Community. Memorials to honor her love of gardening may be made to the Town of Lingle to be used for flowerbeds and flower pots in and around Lingle. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Colyer Funeral Home and condolences may be sent to www.colyerfuneralhome.com
Barbara Ann (Swalstad) Ellis was born April 9, 1931, in Fargo North Dakota to Theodore and Ruby (Olsen) Swalstad. Barb grew up and attended school in Shelly Minnesota. She attended Concordia Nursing College in Moorehead, Minnesota and upon graduation moved to Torrington, the “Wild West” to find a cowboy and start her nursing career. Barb met, because they had the same birthday, the love of her life, Wendell Ellis, not a cowboy, after moving to Torrington. Barb and Wendell were married in Shelly on September 19, 1954. To this union were born four children: Lindy, Becky, Kathy, and Dan. Barb was a farm wife and mother. She helped Wendell farm, grew a huge garden, large beds of flowers, butchered chickens, and raised the kids.
When we were all in school, she became the school nurse in the Lingle-Ft. Laramie School and worked there until she became one of the Goshen County Public Health nurses where she worked until her retirement. Barb was very active in the Presbyterian Church in Lingle where she was at one time or another an elder, a deacon, a trustee, served on the pulpit nominating committee, and sang in the choir. She was also a dedicated member of the Ladies Circle or Association and Mary Marthas all of which met weekly to study the bible and who served countless cookies and cups of coffee and many church functions. Barb was also active in county organizations and groups. She rang bells with the Methodist Church handbell choir, was a member of Chapter M of PEO, and a member of Goshen County Cow Belles. She served on the Golden Homes board of directors for many years. Barb and Wendell were avid card players, they belonged to several pinochle groups, and Barb played bridge with a group of ladies on a regular basis. Grandma Ellis, as the grandkids called her, traveled many miles, and sat numerous hours in the bleachers watching her grand kids and great-grand kids in their sporting and 4-H activities.
Barb is survived by her four children: Lindy, Becky Upchurch, Kathy (Larry) Miller and Dan (Cheryl) Ellis; grandchildren Shari(Scott) DeWitt, Staci (Tate) Willey, Andrew Upchurch, Alex (Amber) Upchurch, Jennifer (Dudley) Booth, Kristi (Dave) Collins, Stephanie (Steve) Geis, Lindsay (Anthony) Evans, Courtney (Clancy) Anderson and Zack Ellis; great grandchildren Sydney (Poston) Anderson, Seth DeWitt; Hayden and Landen Willey; Ozzie, Hart, Lucas and Emme Upchurch; Connor and Kaleb Booth; Liberty, Justice and Revere Collins; Maggie, Morgan, Maddie and Mason Geis, Peyton Evans, Harper and Bentley Anderson; and great-great grandsons Barrett and Hoyt Anderson. Barb was preceded in death by husband Wendell, her siblings Ruth, Margaret, Theone, Burlin; and great-grandson Lil David Collins.
