Daniel Ellertson

Early in the morning on August 12, 2024, Daniel Norman Ellertson peacefully left this world after several years of serious health issues. Valiantly crossing the finish line, he closed his chapter of time on this earth with the epitome of a life well lived.
Daniel was born on February 15, 1957 in San Antonio Texas. His mother, Carol, wrote that she "felt deep in her heart that he was a very special boy, that he would make an important contribution to the world before he left." Dan was born with a precocious awareness of what was right and wrong, and he never wavered. He was the sole brother to his three beautiful sisters and was the best brother they could ask for. He would make them laugh with spot-on impersonations, set them on his back while he did his push-ups, and spent time each Saturday night shining all their leather shoes for church.
Dan was born with an entrepreneurial spirit that endured his whole life. As a little boy living in Lompoc, California, he unsuccessfully appealed to his neighbors for payment for mowing their lawn before asking for permission. He couldn't see over the lawnmower handle, and mowed in random directions across the yard, but he knew deep down, even then, that hard work and self-initiative lead to success.
Dan attended Cabrillo High School, class of '75. He was a feature on the marching band-1st chair trombone-and earned Varsity letters on the football team and basketball team. Friends came naturally and they came everywhere-the locker room, church, neighborhood, people were drawn to Dan and he found life was brighter and sweeter with friends, loved ones, and new faces to serve. He studied hard and eventually graduated from Brigham Young University in Economics, later complemented by a Masters in Business Administration also from BYU.
Dan's diligence extended into his faithful service in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He spoke of his own faith beginning as a young boy in Primary, extending into his service as a youth in various capacities. As a 16 year old, Dan carried his adult home teaching companion, who had been stricken with ALS, to their appointments in order to ensure their families were regularly visited. At 19, Dan served a mission to Bangkok, Thailand from 1976-1978. He loved serving the people of Thailand, and found unique ways to do so by participating in a traveling music performance group that eventually made it on national television. Dan was a natural singer and guitarist, even though untrained, and found venues for sharing these gifts across his life and relationships. Dan spoke Thai but also studied Chinese for many years, speaking it often while traveling through China professionally.
After returning from his mission, Dan kept his musical streak going by joining forces with the most beautiful and talented girl in the BYU School of Music, Carol Frogley. After a serendipitous meeting at the Cougar Eat cafeteria, Dan and Carol were caught in a whirlwind romance filled with fun and mishap including a charging bull and broken bicycles. Dan in his usual decisive, pragmatic fashion, proposed to Carol and they were sealed six weeks later on August 17th, 1979 in the Salt Lake Temple.
Dan and Carol had six children-3 boys and 3 girls. No endeavor brought more light into his life than his family. The Ellertsons started in Provo and made stops in Sandy, Pittsburgh and again in Provo, where Dan and Carol have lived for 30 years. Wherever they were, Dan provided a foundation of spiritual habits, allowing his children to plant their own seeds of faith. During the height of his career engagement, Dan underscored the importance of these habits by never missing a day to call home from long business trips to China to lead the 6 am family scripture study. He also led out spiritually, sharing his conviction by serving faithfully in church callings from Scout Leader to Bishop. As a young father, he played in the backyard with his children and taught football plays, including the favorite "center sneak." He said not infrequently "My kids are going to know how to work," and he made sure they did! Work always came before play. Dan worked hard and played hard, taking his children on adventures close to home and far away like to Disneyland or Taiwan.
Dan had a successful career in computer hardware for many years until he finally felt ready to fulfill his dream of heading out on his own. He started a company with his engineering colleague, Brad Brown. ATL Technology started in a small rented cubicle in Orem and grew to a company of numerous employees all over the world. Dan blessed the lives of so many through his generous spirit and business acumen. After retiring early, Dan had to scratch that productivity itch and built a large book of insurance in his later years. Even as his health declined, he kept busy from his wheelchair and hospital bed, by sending emails, returning phone calls, and writing new insurance policies with the help of his aids and kids after his fingers and voice were no longer able to function like he wanted.
His family, faith and can-do spirit gave Dan purpose and fulfillment in his final days. In October of 2022, Dan survived a major cardiac event that should have taken his life. From then on, his time here on earth felt like a miracle and he spent his gift of extra time loving and serving his family and bearing testimony of Jesus Christ. From beginning to end, Dan never stopped giving all he had to what he knew was most important.
Dan is survived by his exceptional and beloved wife Carol, his devoted children Bryan (Suzanne), Lara Mills (Adam), Brad (Jessie), Tim (Megan), Amy Jewkes (Jeremiah), Anna Marie Daley (Matthew), his lovely sisters Mary Cowley (Dean), Kari Cullimore, Liane Bell (Justin), and his 32 unusually good looking grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his Mother and Father, Carol Anderson, Norman Ellertson and his brother-in-law Lary Cullimore.
We want to give a special thank you to all of Dan's nurses and aids, especially from Senior Partners and most especially Jessica Sisneros. Their attention and care were invaluable to Dan.
Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, August 17th at 11 am. A viewing will be held the night before, Friday, August 16th from 6pm-8pm and the following morning from 10 am-11am. All these services will be at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 4775 N 300 W Provo, Utah.