Billie Sue (Shreve) Ellingson was born August 28, 1953, to William and Helen Shreve of Bellaire, Ohio. She passed peacefully into the arms of Jesus on Saturday December 1, 2018, at her home in the lovely sunroom she and Gary built two years ago. She graduated from Bellaire High School in 1972.
She dedicated her life to the Lord at an early age and left for Moody Bible Institute in Chicago where she met her future husband Gary Ellingson who was also a student there. Gary had to return home that year to help care for his mother Olga who suffered a stroke, and Billie Sue transferred to Circleville Bible College in Circleville, Ohio where she completed her BA degree in Bible and Theology in 1976. On June 4, 1976, Gary and Billie Sue were united in marriage in the chapel at Circleville Bible College in Ohio.
They first made their home in Thief River Falls, Minnesota where Gary worked and continued his education, eventually moving to Omaha, Nebraska and finally to Moorhead, Minnesota. She assisted Gary in pastoring New Hope Evangelical Free Church in Moorhead, Minnesota and in his ministry as Director of Senior Adult Ministries at Bethel Church in Fargo. Billie Sue went on to finish her Master of Arts degree in Child Development and Family Science in 2001 at North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota.
She obtained counselling licensure in North Dakota and Minnesota and opened a Family Practice counselling service, New Perspectives LLP, that she operated for many years. She worked for many years as a counselor at Atonement Lutheran Church in Fargo. She worked as a CNA at nursing homes, as a para-professional in the Moorhead schools, and as an announcer at KFNW Radio for 12 years, all preparing her to serve as chaplain at Elim Care Center in Fargo, North Dakota where she finally obtained a ministry license with the Evangelical Free Church and became Senior Chaplain; the first female Senior Chaplain in the history of the Evangelical Free Church.
An avid sports fan her whole life, having grown up with three younger brothers, Billie Sue was a long-distance runner and looked forward to running in the Fargo Marathon each year. Her family is wearing some of the many medals she obtained during those races. She also became quite a NDSU Bison football fan even to the point in making a Bison Room in their newly-remodeled home in Moorhead.
A highlight of her life was when Coach Klieman and many of the NDSU football players visited her at Elim Care Center. She told the team she was with them 110% and encouraged them to play all four quarters. She and our daughter Kristin took that passion to Philadelphia several years ago to see Carson Wentz play the Vikings as quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Her passion for missionary work has put her in many countries around the world on a short-term basis and for the past several years has been on the board of Amistad Worldwide doing extensive work with widows and orphans in India. With all of those accomplishments she states without reservation the most important role she played was as a wife to Gary and mother to their four children. She is survived by her husband Gary, their children Daniel (Alissa) of Woodbury, Minnesota; Andrew (Krystyna) of Thief River Falls, Minnesota; Matthew (Maria) of Minnetonka, Minnesota; and daughter Kristin Ellingson of Fargo, North Dakota.
Grandchildren Gweneth, Layla, Samuel, Logan, Abigail, Penelope, Farrah, Gloria, and Natalie. She is also survived by her brothers Jim (Wanda) Shreve of Shadyside, Ohio; Bob (Betty) Shreve of Shadyside, Ohio; Nieces and nephews Josh Shreve, Columbus, Ohio; Jessica (Shreve) McKutchem Columbus, Ohio; Kevin Shreve, Cincinnati, Ohio; Ashley (Shreve) Sparks Shadyside, Ohio; and Lori (Howell) Nau, St. Clairsville, Ohio; and an aunt Shirley Howell of Tiltonsville, Ohio. She was preceded in death by her parents William and Helen Shreve from Bellaire, Ohio and a brother Michael Shreve of Columbus, Ohio See you soon.
Love, Gary In lieu of flowers Billie Sue and her family request designated gifts to be given to Bethel Church Care Ministries, in care of Verona Winkler; Amistad Worldwide, in care of Tracy Alin; or Elim Care Center Chaplains Fund, in care of Renee Muhonen. Visitation: 5PM – 7PM Wednesday, December 5, 2018, with a Prayer Service held at 7PM, all in West Funeral Home, West Fargo.
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