Kenneth Loren Ellis

Kenneth Loren Ellis passed away on December 25, 2023, in Fargo, North Dakota. He was born to Loren and Earline Ellis (née Alexander) on November 28, 1955, in Santa Barbara, California. He and his siblings were raised in California, except for a brief pitstop in Alabama, where his step-father was stationed in the early 1960s.

He graduated from Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta, CA, and attended Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, CA. Kenneth met his future wife, Leslie Ellis (née Fotheringham), and the two married in Santa Barbara in 1982. They soon moved to Lompoc, CA, where they raised their daughter and son.

Kenneth enjoyed working with his hands, spending several years in the auto parts business before starting his own business, Ellis Landscape Maintenance. He was a big sports fan, playing for several years in the local softball rec league and watching his favorite teams, the San Francisco 49ers, the San Francisco Giants, and the Los Angeles Lakers. Kenneth also enjoyed camping with his family in Big Sur and next to the beautiful lakes on California’s Central Coast.

After their children finished high school, Kenneth and Leslie moved north to Eugene, Oregon, before making their way to Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, in 2016 to be near their son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren in Fargo. Kenneth’s gregarious personality earned him many friends in Detroit Lakes; a celebration of life will be held at Sunlite Bar & Grill in Detroit Lakes on January 5 at 5 PM.

Kenneth is survived by Leslie, his loving wife of 41 years, and their two children, Erica (Alan) and Kenny (Mary). He is survived by his grandchildren, Joe, Elliott, Miles, Magnolia, and Callahan. He is also survived by his mother and step-father, Earline and James Snell; his siblings, Keith (Diana) Ellis, Karen (Gary) Church, and Kathy (Bruce) Nielson; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father and step-mother.

The family would like to thank the nurses and doctors at Essentia Health in Fargo for their compassion. A celebration and ceremony will be held in California at a date to be determined. Memorials for the family of Kenneth Ellis can be directed to Hanson-Runsvold Funeral Home.