Helen Ellis

Helen Ellis, 92, Lignite,

ND, died Thursday, No-

vember 10, 2022 in a Tio-

ga Medical Center.

Helen Kraft was born

on December 20, 1929, a

daughter of John and

Anna (Mattern) Kraft in

Selz, ND. She was raised

and educated in Parshall,

where she graduated from

Parshall High School.

On July 23, 1949, Helen

was united in marriage to

Frederick C. “Fritz” Ellis

at St. Bridget in Parshall.

They were the first couple

to be married at St. Bridg-

et. They farmed for a

short time in New Rock-

ford, moving to Idaho

where Fritz worked in the

mines. Following a min-

ing accident they moved

back to Parshall, moving

around with the oil field.

In 1960, they moved to

Lignite. Helen worked

several years for Olive

Johnson at Johnson’s Cafe.

Helen and Fritz rented

the Lignite Bowling Alley

and Cafe for several years.

Fritz died June 1, 1987.

Following his death, she

continued to live in Lig-

nite, ND. She then cooked

at BC School until retiring

in 1994.

Helen loved spending

time with her family. She

loved bingo, bowling and

playing cards, especially

Pinochle. She enjoyed

crocheting, making hun-

dreds or thousands of

dish rags that she loved to

give out.

Helen was a member of

St, Mary’s Catholic

Church of Lignite until its

closure. She then became

a member of St. John the

Baptist Catholic Church,

of Portal, ND.

Helen is survived by:

sons, Donovan (JoAnn)

Ellis, Lignite, ND, Ronald

(KrisAnn) Ellis, Gillette,

WY, Conrad (Deby) Ellis,

Watford City, ND, Jay

(Donna) Ellis, Kenmare,

ND, Lonny (Rachel) Ellis,

Minot, ND; daughters,

Carol Ruppert, Lignite,

ND, Karen (Daniel)

Maruskie, Battleview, ND

and Debra (Doug) Nelson,

Lignite, ND; 20 grandchil-

dren; 39

great-grandchildren; 10

great-great-grandchildren;

brothers, Robert (Linda)

Kraft, Germantown, OH,

John Kraft, Fishers, IN,

Billy (Janet) Kraft, Meek-

er, CO; sisters, Delores Ek-

lund, Elko, NV, JoAnn

Ritzke and Marion (Joe)

Wright, both of Las Vegas,

NV; and several nieces,

nephews and cousins also

survive.

Helen was preceded in

death by her husband,

Fritz; parents, John and

Anna Kraft; daughter, Ju-

lie Ellis; brother, Joe Kraft;

sisters, Caroline

Wittmayer and Rose

Tvedt Julson; son-in-law,

Dennis Ruppert; grand-

sons, Eric McCarthy and

Kurt Nelson

Mass of Christian Buri-

al: Monday, November 14,

2022 at 11 am at St. John

the Baptist Catholic

Church, Portal, ND

Burial: St. Mary’s

Catholic Cemetery, Lig-

nite, ND

Thompson-Larson Fun-

eral Home, Kenmare