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By Don Williams
Chuck Ellingson, 46, of Ames, died Sunday, August 12, from complications of a brain tumor. Chuck was born in Marshall, Minnesota, April 18, 1955, the son of Clayton and Viola Schmoll. He was a 1973 graduate of Atlantic High School in Atlantic, Iowa. He attended Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs. Along with Tom Thomas, Chuck was co-owner of Car Tech. In 1984, he married Connie Erickson of Nevada, Iowa. Connie is employed at the Social Security Administration offices in Ames. They have one son, Eric Clayton, who is an eighth grader at Ames Middle School. Chuck was very active at Ascension Lutheran Church, working on a wide variety of ministries, including the Jesus Video Project, Evangelism Committee, the Rock Youth Group, Adult Sunday School, Men's Prayer Breakfast, and Church Council. He was a tireless example to the church's family and a strong witness to others. He was an active and loyal fan of the ISU Cyclones.
Chuck's interest in ponding exploded and he began planning for his pond before the creation of CIWGA. He was excited when he learned from Jamie Beyer that a pond association was being formed, and he became a charter member. Chuck read almost everything he could get his hands on that was related to building and maintaining a pond. In the fall of 2000, he began digging his pond. Early in the spring of 2001, with help from family members, he completed the roughly 20 x 20 foot, 3100-gallon pond, complete with a lovely stream. Since that milestone, Chuck devoted a great amount of time and energy to maintaining and improving both the pond and its surroundings, as well as the design and the performance of the filters. He took great pride and excitement in what others might find insignificant... the fact that a gray tree frog called the pond's stream home soon after it was completed. For Chuck, this meant success - the pond was a magnet for many creatures, not just those confined by the ceiling where water meets air.
Chuck probably deserved the Lizzy Award earlier this year. Just after admonishing Eric for falling into the pond with the new chest waders on, Chuck, clutching a large rock, haplessly stumbled off the 12 inch deep ledge into the middle depths of the pond. During the plunge, he managed to avoid stepping on the pump's external filter, exaggerating his awkwardness in that effort. He was soaked and easily the target of some good-natured taunts from Eric. The water lilies and other plants bought at the CIWGA plant sale really took off and bloomed later in the summer, and the pond became wonderfully crystal clear.
Chuck arrived home from Houston on Friday morning, seemingly healthy and full of optimism and plans, and went straight to his pond. With his family, he spent his last daylight hours enjoying the beauty of that special place that he had made. Chuck was a wonderful person who touched many peoples' lives. He leaves behind two large, close knit families, and a great many friends and admirers. He is dearly missed.