Ellie Slette

About Ellie

Ellie Slette, 81, passed away in St. Paul on November 28, 2022. Ellie’s parents, Arthur and Oleanna Slette and two sisters, Annette Scherger and Mary Berg, preceded her in death. She is survived by her sister, Aggie Zawada, and by her extended family and family of friends.

Born in Lacrosse, WI in 1941, Ellie spent her childhood at the family tobacco farm in Viroqua, WI. She pursued higher education at Lutheran General and Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing in Park Ridge, Illinois, later receiving a BSN at the University of Minnesota and a MS of Rehabilitation Professional Nurse at Boston University.

For 41 years she was a professional registered nurse; spending 13 years in patient care as a staff nurse on medical hospital units and later becoming a clinical manager of a hospital orthopedic unit. She spent 28 years in nursing education, with her final 13 years as the Dean of Nursing at Century College. She served the nursing profession in leadership capacities, including being on numerous state and national boards, as well as the National Board of Directors for Associate Degree RN Nursing and American Holistic Nursing Board of Directors. Throughout her life Ellie was passionate in mentoring and inspiring students and nurses to reach their vocational goals, especially nurses from under-represented populations.

In her youth she enjoyed golf, hiking and skiing. She raised and showed Lhasa Apsos, receiving an award for Best in Show. She lived primarily in St Paul and spent many years in Crosby, where she volunteered for Minnesota DFL legislative candidates. Ellie was a lifelong teacher and learner, always curious in the world around her. She traveled to many parts of the U.S., especially enjoying the National Parks. She loved seeing the world, visiting Africa, Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, the Galapagos, China, Tibet, Germany, France, Netherlands and Norway twice. Her first trip to Norway was in 1978 with her parents.

In later life Ellie kept engaged in this interesting world by day trading, doing puzzles, watching sports (primarily baseball, golf and football) and going for daily walks. Her final days were spent at her condo, where she enjoyed a beautiful view of the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. Always positive about the future, a perpetual optimism and positive attitude were her strong points.

A celebration of Ellie’s life will take place on Saturday, April 29th at 10:30 am at The Aerie at Dodge Nature Center, 1701 Charlton St., West St Paul, MN. Interment will be attended by family at Zion Lutheran Church in Viroqua, WI.

Memorials preferred to the Ellie Slette Memorial Nursing Scholarship, Century College Foundation.

memorial service

Celebration of Life

April 29, 2023

A celebration of Ellie’s life will take place on Saturday, April 29th at 10:30 am at The Aerie at Dodge Nature Center, 1701 Charlton St., West St Paul, MN.

Please consider carpooling. Parking is limited but there are three lots available. Please consult the map and park further out if you can walk. Also, you can drive up to The Aerie / Education Building for dropping off people but you can't part there.

General Website information:

https://www.dodgenaturecenter.org/location/main-property

Link to DNC property Map:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/dodge-nature-center/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/17114040/DNCMainPropertyMap.pdf

On this map, The Aerie is building #7 - Education Building. Parking is also by buildings #2 and #10, 12 and 13.