Lyle Martin Ellefson

Lyle Martin ELLEFSON Lyle Martin Ellefson, 92, went to be with his Lord September 1, survived by his wife of 69 years, Helen, and three children, DeLyle [Cynthia] Ellefson of Bainbridge Island, Joleen [Tim] Burgess of Seattle, and Mark [Debbie] Ellefson of West Richland. He was born July 22, 1919, in Duluth, MN, to Martin Ellef Ellefson and Florence Olive (Warner) Ellefson. He studied for the ministry at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. In 1942 Lyle married Helen Anderson at Elim Baptist Church in Wallingford.A year later he was drafted into the Army in World War II, serving in an engineering battalion, as a chaplain's assistant and as a mas- ter sergeant in the military police. Lyle was an electrical engineer and worked from 1946-1976 for Seattle City Light. He loved working with his hands to serve others. As a volunteer he helped build a youth camp on Whidbey Island. He also disassembled the Lake Union hydroelectric plant to generate power for HCJB radio in Ecuador. He was a man of great integrity, passionate about racial justice. He loved his Lord. He took great joy in his 10 grandchildren: Anna Ellefson Hartzog [Dan] and Aron Ellefson [Riikka]; Elisabeth, Kimberly and Katie Burgess; and Laura, Caleb, Nathan, Gretchen and Philip Ellefson, in addition to three great-grandsons, Dylan and Brenden Hartzog and Mico Ellefson. A memorial service will be Sat9/10 at 2 p.m. at the Cristwood Park activity center, 350 N. 190th St. in Shoreline. Memorials may be given to Union Gospel Mission.