Lydia Dawn Ellison

L. "Dawn" Ellison, 70, of Lawton, was surrounded by her loving family when she went to her heavenly home on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014. Dawn was an inspiration and gave many other patients hope as she courageously fought pancreatic cancer for the past two and a half years.
Memorial services will be 7 p.m. Monday at Redeemer Lutheran Church located at 3204 South Lakeport in Sioux City. The Revs. Russell Senstad and David Zirpel will officiate. There will be a time of fellowship with the family immediately following the service. Visitation with the family present will be 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at the church. The family requests casual attire for her memorial service. Arrangements are under the direction of Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Homes. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.christysmith.com .
Dawn was born on Feb. 21, 1944, in Sioux City, to Arnold and Agnes (Kirk) Peterson. She grew up near Lawton and graduated from Lawton High School in 1962.
She was united in marriage to Richard Ellison on Sept. 21, 1962, at Bethel Lutheran Church in Lawton. The couple had three boys, Rick, Kevin and Chris. Dawn was active with the family farming operation and also worked in the office at Regency Square Care Nursing Home in South Sioux City, in the bookkeeping and insurance claims department, retiring in 2005. After her retirement, the couple traveled to every state west of the Mississippi.
Her hobbies included camping, traveling to the Black Hills of South Dakota and Branson, Mo. She loved to garden and can the fruits of her labor, and she liked to sew and quilt. Dawn especially loved to cook for her family and have them be home for the holidays and other family events. She was a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church and the American Legion Post 718 Auxilary.
Survivors include her husband, Richard Ellison of Lawton; three sons, Rick and Susan Ellison of Sioux City, Kevin and Sunday Ellison of Lawton, and Chris and Jina Ellison of Portland, Ore.; brother, Darrel Peterson of Wayland, Mich.; sister, Darlene Tyler of Canon City, Colo.; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Dawn was preceded in death by her parents and her in-laws, Albert and Pearl Ellison.
The family would like to thank Doctors Thomas Wente and Donald Wender, the June E. Nylen Cancer Center, Mercy Medical Center 7th floor Oncology, Hospice of Siouxland, all the caring staff that cared for Dawn and all the prayer chains and people that prayed for her.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Redeemer Lutheran Church.