On Thursday, January 2nd, 2020, Eleanor “Ellie” Fay Heller, loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend passed away at the University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the age of 74.

Ellie was born on October 25th, 1945 to Joseph and Anne (Senn) Hirsch in Elgin, North Dakota.

Ellie spent her childhood years in Mott, North Dakota where she graduated from High School. She then moved on to the east coast where she was a secretary for the SEC in Washington, DC. After some time, she moved to Williston North Dakota and was married to David Ludwick until his death in November of 1983.

Ellie worked at the Missouri Club in Williston, North Dakota and at the State Line Club in Bainville, Montana and that is where she met her husband, Ronald Heller. They married in 1985.

Later in life, she worked as the head cook at St Joseph’s School, and loved that job very much. Being around all of those children and being able to provide them with delicious meals was very rewarding to her.

Ellie loved baking and cooking and was darn good at it. She was always happy to feed a crowd. She especially enjoyed baking huge batches of cookies with Martha Heller and Clark Jorgenson and giving them out to the community at Christmas time. Ellie’s cinnamon rolls were exceptional and enjoyed by many.

Ellie and Ron loved traveling. Her very favorite was their yearly trip to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas which she and Ron attended for 33 consecutive years.

Ellie is survived by her husband, Ron of Williston, ND; brother, Jim (Ceal) Hirsch of Mandan, ND; children, Kim (Mike) Brooks of Merlin, OR, Brenda (Derek) Zubich of Minneapolis, MN, Scott (Melissa) Heller of Williston, ND, Shelene Heller of Everett, WA, Steven Heller of Lake Stevens, WA, David (Julie) Phillips of Farmington, NM, John (Tamee) Ludwick of Dickinson, ND and Brandt Ellis of NC. Also surviving are many loving grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Anne Hirsch and her former husband, David Ludwick.

Memorial Contribution