Ellen J. Rehlander

Ellen Josephine (Brue) Rehlander left this world for a new adventure on May 17, 2024, at 5:45 p.m.

Ellen Josephine (Brue) Rehlander was born on December 20, 1945, to Charles and Rhoda (Swenson) Brue.  She was baptized February 3, 1946, and confirmed May 7, 1961, at Salem Lutheran Church in Lake Mills, Iowa.  She attended school in Iowa and California and graduated from Lake Mills High School in 1964.

After attending the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa, she graduated from Wisconsin State University-Platteville in January 1970.  Ellen worked as a teacher, legal assistant, newspaper and publishing company proofreader, insurance company administrative assistant, and town librarian. She retired in 2008.

Ellen and Larry Rehlander married at Salem Lutheran Church in Lake Mills, Iowa, August 27, 1967, and raised three children: Jonathon, Daniel, and Laura, living in North and South Dakota, Montana, California, Iowa, and Minnesota.  They retired to Elk River, Minnesota, to be close to their children and grandchildren.

Ellen loved her family, extended relatives, many friends, and many pets.  She loved reading, seeing movies, adult coloring, and had a large doll and paper doll collection.  At 31 Ellen won the Berthold Bicentennial Women’s 100-yard dash (which means at 21 she let Larry catch her), at 41 she was the MVP of the Chula Vista Bonita High School Moms basketball game, and could out-bowl Larry any day of the week.

She is survived by her husband Larry, sons Jonathon (Jodi) Rehlander and Daniel Rehlander, daughter Laura Rehlander; grandchildren Cassandra, Andrew, Jackson, Chasen, and Annaleigh; brother David (Kim) and nieces Jennifer and Kelsey, and cousins by the dozens.

She was preceded in death by her father Charles and mother Rhoda.

Visitation will be held at Dare’s Funeral Home in Elk River on June 6 at 6 – 8 p.m., and her memorial service will be held at Word of Peace Lutheran Church in Rogers, Minnesota, where she was a member, on June 7 at 1 p.m.  There will be a visitation prior to the service on June 7 at Word of Peace starting at noon.

Honorary pallbearers:  David Brue; Jonathon, Daniel, and Laura Rehlander; Brian Johnson; and Mike Swenson.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions to be made to Alzheimer's Association and to Open Doors for Youth in Elk River.  If flowers are sent, please send them directly to Word of Peace Church in Rogers, Minnesota.

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