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Message shared by classmate Tom Johnson. Fellow classmates: It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of David Ellefsen on Sunday July 28 at 7:02 PM after a long struggle of health complications. His daughter was fortunate to spend 2 days with him. He was a great friend.
Details from obituary shared by David's family published August 23, 2024
Obituary for David Edward Ellefsen
David Edward Ellefsen, 77, passed away on July 28th at 7:02 pm at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City. He was born on February 3rd, 1947, in Salt Lake City to Frank and Katherine (Winwood) Ellefsen.
David graduated from East High School, then obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Utah, a Master of Library Science degree from Emporia State University which resulted in his professional life as a librarian. He began his career as a page at the Salt Lake City Public Library and continued to work in many libraries across the United States, retiring from Great Basin College in Elko, NV where he loved interacting with the students. David also served in The National Guard for 6 years, where he made lifelong friends and special memories.
Everyone who spent time with David knew what he was passionate about. He was a talented basketball player-- a member of East High School's state championship basketball team in 1964. He had a lifelong passion for the wilderness, including backpacking, camping and white water rafting. Edward Abbey's "Desert Solitaire" was David's bible. Bob Dylan was David's musical north star. Golf became one of his loves in retirement as he shared this passion with his East High pals of 60 years.
He valued quality time with friends and family, meeting for lunch or just stopping by. He traveled often to nearby destinations like his cabin in the Uinta mountains or San Diego to see his beloved daughter Sage, or Phoenix to see nephews and friends. Southern Utah was a favorite place for his entire life, where he hiked and explored canyons and took his visitors to see Delicate Arch. He drove across the USA many times to see others he cherished. David always went out of his way to show how much he cared about and loved the people in his life. He was such a personable guy to everyone he interacted with, from the hospital workers at the end of his life, to the Smith’s Starbucks baristas for his white chocolate mocha every Sunday.
David loved to watch the nightly news with his signature cocktail duo, a Gin and Tonic and a Budweiser. He expanded into international travel after first seeing much of the USA, and hoped to go back to Japan, his most favorite spot with Sage someday. His legacy will forever live on, and he will continue to make all who loved him smile as they pass on stories about his one-of-a-kind self.
He is survived by Sage Ellefsen (daughter), Katie E. (Tom) Leech (Sister), Maureen Ellefsen (sister-in-law), Steven and Robert Ellefsen, Eric E. Leech (Nephews) and Kalyn (Grandniece), and many beloved friends and relatives.
He is preceded in death by Frank Ellefsen (father), Katherine Winwood Ellefsen (mother), and John Ellefsen (brother).
A memorial service will be scheduled for some time in 2025.
Thank you to all the medical professionals and staff at the University of Utah hospital and Huntsman Cancer Institute who gave him excellent care, and support to the family over many months. Each person who took the time to get to know him, laugh with him, and care for him will be remembered in our hearts forever. https://www.serenityfhs.com/obituaries/David-Ellefsen/#!/Obituary
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Gary Lamb
next door neighbor u st and 4th avenue. fond highschool memories (parties too) Dave was varsity basketball guard Im thinking state champions team. also professional librarian in montana and nevada retiring to daybreak. an all around great pleasure to have known him. my condolences to his family. Gary Lamb
Tom Johnson
I've known David since 7th Grade from Bryant and on through East High years. After graduation from East we went our separate ways and it wasn’t until our East High 50th Anniversary Reunion that we connected together again.
It was at the golf match at Bonneville Golf Course that we re-established our friendship. I was lucky to be able to play with :Don Swenson (deceased) and Michael Reese. David was in the foursome behind us.
We started playing golf or doing lunch at least once a week for the next 10 years. Those were 10 years that I wouldn’t have traded for anything.. Joe Schoenhals joined our group and on occasion we played with Dick Palmer. I don’t think I have ever laughed so much as I did playing with these guys. Some of David’s golf course favorites were: Glenmore, Murray Parkway, Oak Hills, Meadowbrook, Bonneville , Wasatch Mountain and Mountain Dell.
David was “the wheelman”. He drove the golf cart and I was “shotgun”. One of his secret pleasures was to deliberately drive over the large ruts in the fairways at top speed to see if we could fly. Sometimes I would be thrown out of the cart and sometimes he would.
The love of David’s life was his daughter Sage. She lives in San Diego and David often times would jump in the car and drive straight through to San Diego and send us pictures of both of them playing golf at Torrey Pines. When she would come into town we would all get together for lunch. You could see how proud he was of her.
David would often drive to Evanston to buy Powerball - Lottery tickets. As I would give him some money I would look sternly into his eyes and say “I only want numbers that are winners”. At first he would look confused and then laugh.
I will miss his dry sense of humor and I will miss his punctuality for the game. He was always there an hour before tee time practicing his putting and getting his clubs ready.
Above all, I will miss his friendship.
He is no longer in pain. Rest my friend…