Ella Kay Ridout

Ella Kay (Ellie) Williams Ridout was called home to our Lord on November 17, 2021 at the Willows Memory Care Center under the care of St. Croix Hospice with her nieces at her side.

Services for Ella Kay will take place Tuesday, Nov. 23 at 1 p.m. at Grundy Center United Methodist Church in Grundy Center. A visitation will be held one hour prior beginning at noon. She will be laid to rest at the Liscomb Cemetery. Mitchell Family Funeral Home has been entrusted with the care of Ella Kay and her family. For questions or condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com or call 641-844-1234.

Ella Kay Williams was born in Grundy Center, on August 8, 1939 to Glen Williams and Vernie Steinberger Williams. She graduated from the Grundy Center High School in 1957 and from St. Luke’s School of Nursing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1960.

Ella Kay worked in several hospitals including, the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor and the Deaconess Hospital in Marshalltown. In 1966 she moved to the Los Angeles area of California. On June 30, 1966, she was married to Harold (Hal) Ridout and in March 1974 they moved to Kamiah, Idaho.

Ella Kay continued her nursing career at the Clearwater Valley Hospital in home health and hospice as a public health nurse at the North Central District Health Department. She retired in 2000 but continued part time at the Orofino, Idaho Care Center until July 2005.

In Kamiah, she was a member of the Community Presbyterian Church, Eastern Star, and the Valley singers. Her faith was her anchor. She will be remembered for her sense of humor and her compassion toward those less fortunate. She loved her family, music, and all animals.

Ella Kay returned to Iowa in August 2019, and resided at the Willows. Her Iowa family treasured this time with her.

She will be missed by stepdaughter, Linda L. Soley, granddaughter Jessica L. Ridout, great grandchildren Catherine and Brenden Breen, nieces Lori (Craig) Diggins of Marshalltown, Sue (Paul) Crawford of Marshalltown, Sandy (Tony) Miller of Burlington, sister-in-law, Pauline Smith of Marshalltown, and brothers-in-law Philip (Karen) Ridout and Jerry (Sandy) Ridout.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Hal in 2009, step-father Charlie Tupper, step-son Kevin Ridout, Brother Max Dale Smith, and half-brother Jerry Williams, nephew David Smith and brother-in-law Donald Ridout.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family for future designation.

The family would like to thank the staff of The Willows, St. Croix Hospice, and Ellie’s friends in Idaho who watched over her when her health started to decline.