Luther Ellingson

US Navy Captain, Luther J. Ellingson (Lou), age 80, formerly of Eden Prairie, MN, passed away on October 4, 2025 in Montevideo, MN.

A brief military service will be held at 9 AM on October 31, 2025, at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Family and friends should gather at 8:50 am at Assembly area 2 at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.  A Celebration of Life service will occur afterwards from 10:30 AM – 1 PM at the VFW, Post 425 (100 Shady Oak Road, Hopkins, MN).

In lieu of flowers, donations are preferred to: VFW, Post 425 (Hopkins, MN) or Lewy Body Dementia Association (lbda.org).

Born in Montevideo on November 28, 1944, Lou was the son of Julian and Alma (Struxness) Ellingson. He graduated as valedictorian from Milan High School in 1962 and earned his Bachelor’s degree from Concordia College in December 1966.

After college, Lou enlisted in a US Naval Officer Program and was commissioned in June 1967. He served aboard the USS Mountrail in Norfolk, VA, from 1967 – 1969, completing two Mediterranean cruises. Seeking a change in duty, Lou volunteered for a Swift Boat river patrol assignment in Vietnam. At that time, the 50-foot-long swift boats were only being used off the coast, but it was soon discovered they could also navigate rivers and canals—making this assignment much more dangerous. Lou considered himself fortunate to have sustained only minor injuries in Vietnam, the most notable being a piece of metal shrapnel in his forehead.

During Lou’s one year Vietnam tour from May 1969 – 1970, his duties took him as far north as the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and as far south as the Mekong Delta region. He received several awards in recognition of his service, including the Navy Commendation (Valor Device) and Vietnamese Service medals and Combat Action Ribbon. A highlight of the challenging year in Vietnam was a leave in Hawaii with his future wife, Paula Seaton, whom he met during swift boat training in San Diego, CA.

Lou returned to the US in 1970 and married Paula on December 20th of that year. He joined the Naval Reserves and earned an MBA from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Together, Lou and Paula raised three children: Charles, Elizabeth, and Katharine.

Lou’s career included marketing roles at Green Giant, Pillsbury, Toro, Six Flags (CA), and C.H. Robinson. In the 1990s, he started his own marketing company, Special Promotion Systems, which he proudly operated from his Eden Prairie home until 2015.

Lou devoted 25 years to the Navy Reserves, retiring as a Captain in 1994 (equivalent to a “full bird colonel” in the Army). His service included assignments and exercises in Japan, Korea, Alaska, and San Diego.

In 2012, Lou returned to Vietnam with his youngest daughter, Katharine, revisiting many of the places where he had served, including Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Da Nang, Hoi An, Ha Tien, and Chau Doc. In addition, they visited Hanoi in North Vietnam and Phnom Penh in Cambodia.

Lou was an active member of the Hopkins VFW, marching in parades and sharing his Vietnam experiences at local schools. He also enjoyed traveling, hunting, fishing, farming, and gardening. Family was very important to Lou, and he was a great supporter of the endeavors of his children and grandchildren.

Lou is survived by his son Charles “Chuck” (Melea); daughters Elizabeth (Adam) Schotzko and Katharine (Chris) Oliver; seven grandchildren: Mason and Matthew Ellingson, Avery, Evan, and Eli Schotzko, and James and Evelyn Oliver; his brother Victor (Charlotte); and sister-in-law Donita. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Paula; his parents, Julian and Alma; and his brother Douglas.