Alfred Gene Ellingson , 88,  of Mitchell, formerly of Forestburg, passed away on Saturday, June 10, 2017, at Avera Queen of Peace Hospital, Mitchell.
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, June 17, at Forestburg Lutheran Church in Forestburg. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Friday, June 16, at the Will Funeral Chapel in Mitchell. Burial will be in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Artesian with military rites.
“Gene” was born May 18, 1929, in Junius to Alfred and Foresta (Jopp) Ellingson.  The family moved to the Forestburg area in 1931. Gene attended elementary and high school in Forestburg, graduating in 1947.
He married Alyce Mae Oakley on Oct. 1, 1949.  They lived in Huron for a short time, then moved back to the Forestburg area to farm with his father.
Gene was a veteran of the Korean War, serving  from 1954-1956. After leaving the military, he farmed near Forestburg for over 30 years. He served as president of Sanborn County Farmers Union for 20 years.  Gene worked for Magness Livestock of Huron for 25 years, and served over five years on the Forestburg School Board.  He sat on the Sanborn County Soil Conservation Board for 16 years, and served 12 years on the Sanborn Telephone Cooperative Board.
Gene spent retirement on the family farm near Forestburg. He enjoyed attending Forestburg Lutheran Church and was a member of the choir. Recently, Gene and Mae moved to Countryside Living in Mitchell.
He is survived by his wife, Mae; two children, Connie (Brian) Sumption of Williston, N.D., and Cary and wife Mary Jo (Murtha) of Rapid City;  six grandchildren; two brothers, Wayne (Marie) of Federal Way, Wash., and Arnold (Cheri) of Auburn, Wash.; two sister-in-laws, Glenda Oakley of Huron, and MayLou Oakley of Miller; brother-in-law, Jim Winter of Custer; and many nieces and nephews.
Gene was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Gloria; a son, Jerry; one sister, Ellen; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Gordon, Leonard and Patricia, Richard and Margie, Dale and Deveda Oakley.