ELLSWORTH, Theodore Richards

ELLSWORTH, Theodore Richards. (Dubuque, IA--Dubuque, IA, Sept. 30, 1986). State legislator. Ellsworth served in the Iowa Legislature from 1969 through 1972 where in 1971 he was a leading supporter of the bill supporting legalized bingo. The president of the Lange Insurance Company, Inc., Ellsworth served as president of the DUBUQUE BOYS' CLUB, Dubuque Humane Society, LINWOOD CEMETERY Association, and the Dubuque Association of Independent Insurance Agents. He was vice- president of the Little Cloud Girl Scout Council.

During WORLD WAR II, Ellsworth served as an officer in the King's Royal Rifle Corps of the British Army before transferring to the American Third Army. Captured, Ellsworth escaped in Poland where he was nearly shot by Russian troops who were convinced he was a German spy. He finished the war as the highest decorated combat soldier in Dubuque history since the CIVIL WAR. His experiences became the basis of his book Yank: Memoir of a World War II Soldier (1941-1945)-From the Desert War of North Africa to the Allied Invasion of Europe.

From 1949 to 1951 Ellsworth was Dubuque County chairman of the March of Dimes. Among his other civic activities were twelve years as a federal jury commissioner for the Northern District of Iowa, founder and board member of Dubuque JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, 1960 campaign chairman of the Dubuque United Way fund drive and board chairman of its drive in 1961, leader of the GIRL SCOUTS Camp fund drive in 1962, service on the CLARKE COLLEGE advisory board, and membership in the DUBUQUE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. He was a 1968 delegate to the Republican National Convention.

An active participant in sports, Ellsworth was a charter member of the DUBUQUE SOFTBALL HALL OF FAME. He organized and directed three state softball championship teams. Ellsworth received many honors for his civic activities. He was presented the Junior Achievement National Bronze Leadership Award and was chosen the Dubuque JAYCEES Citizen of the Year in 1961.