Mildred "Mickey" E. Ellyson

Mildred “Mickey” (Witmer) Oberg Ellyson, 101, of Pender, NE died on Saturday, April 28, 2018 at Legacy Garden Rehabilitation and Living Center in Pender, NE where she lived for the past six years. Funeral services will be Saturday, May 5, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Pender; Pastor Kathy Montira will be officiating. The visitation will be Friday, May 4, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Munderloh-Smith Funeral Home in Pender. The burial will be at the Swedish Cemetery in rural Pender. Memorials may be directed to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church or the Pender-Thurston Community Fund. Arrangements are under the direction of Munderloh-Smith Funeral Home in Pender. Mickey was born to Fred and Frieda Witmer on the Leisy ranch near Wisner, NE on September 23, 1916. She was the youngest of eight siblings. Her family moved to Pender in 1928 and graduated from Pender High School in 1935, the first of her family to graduate from high school. On October 3, 1937, Mickey married Lester Oberg of Pender, to this union, the couple had four children; Beverly, Fred, Robert, and Mary Jane. Lester died on January 28, 1975. Mickey married Arnold Ellyson from Newcastle, NE on December 7, 1980, adding four step-sons Wally, Warren, Wayne, and George and their families to her family. Mickey worked as a cook at the Pender Hospital and patients enjoyed her home cooked meals. She’s well known by her family and friends for her mouthwatering homemade cinnamon rolls and homemade sweet pickles. She donated these goodies for charity auctions and they always received top dollar. Mickey was a faithful member and servant of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and was active in church activities throughout her life; her latest was the ladies quilting club. She was also active in the Pender community as a charter member of both the Hospital Auxiliary and CC Club, active in the Heritage Club, Senior Center, and numerous bridge clubs. Mickey was an avid supporter of the Pender High School alumni, attending every alumni banquet except two; in 1940 when the alumni was canceled due to the flood and in 1962 when she and Les went to the World’s Fair in Seattle, WA. Her family was her top priority, making it a point to attend weddings, graduations, confirmations, baptisms, and special occasions from coast to coast. Mickey’s hobbies included reading, gardening, traveling, cooking, and baking, also for competitiveness for card playing. She is survived by her daughters, Beverly (Gene) Kai of Santa Maria, CA and Mary Jane (Petro) Kot of Lincoln, NE; daughter-in-law, Louise Scanlon-Oberg of Canton, MA; step-son, Wally (Nancy) Ellyson of Grand Junction, CO; step-daughters-in-law, Brenda Ellyson of Wayne, NE and Becky Ellyson of Conroe, TX; 30 grandchildren; 67 great-grandchildren; 4 great-great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Mickey was preceded in death by her parents; step-father, Eilert Ruscher; husbands; two sons, three step-sons; brothers, Fritz, Ernest, John and George Witmer; and sisters, Lena Vogt, Martha Hulsebusch, Frieda Glaser-Luikens. .