D. Delos Ellsworth

Donald Delos Ellsworth was born on February 23, 1931, in Mesa, Arizona. The family lived in Queen Creek at the time. He passed away December 9, 2013, in Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona, and was 82 years old. Delos was the son of Donald and Margaret Cooper Ellsworth and was the eldest of their five children. He married Alba Jean Lufkin on July 15, 1953, in the Idaho Falls LDS temple and they had six children. As a Mesa Republican, Delos served two terms in the Arizona House of Representatives from 1965 to 1969, including two years as House majority whip. He was also elected Maricopa County Republican Party Chairman.

He stepped down from the county GOP post in November 1968 to become Goldwater's administrative assistant, the position that today is known as chief of staff. Goldwater had encouraged him to stay in Washington for a couple of years and use the experience "as a springboard to other things" back in Arizona. He loved the whole political scene and climate of Washington and politics in general.

He returned to Arizona and served two terms in the Arizona Senate from 1971 to 1975, where he served with then, Senate Majority Leader Sandra Day O'Connor.

He was talked about as a possible Republican gubernatorial candidate in 1974, but opted to exit politics for a teaching career at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He was director of BYU's Ezra Taft Benson Agriculture and Food Institute for several years beginning in 1978.

Delos is survived by his wife, Alba, six children, 36 grandchildren and 37 great-grandchildren. Visitation is Friday, December 27, 2013 from 6-8 PM at Bunker's Garden Chapel, 33 N. Centennial Way, Mesa, 85201.

Funeral services are Saturday, December 28, 2013 at 10:30 AM, preceded by a visitation at 9:30 AM at the LDS Kimball East Stake Center, 4640 E. Holmes Ave., Mesa, 85206.

SOURCES: Information compiled from azcentral.com article published on Dec 9, 2013 and bunkerfuneral.com

Parents:

Donald Ellsworth (1903 - 1985)

Margaret B Cooper Ellsworth (1913 - 1991)

Spouse:

Alba Jean Lufkin Ellsworth (1930 - 2014)

Created by: Diane Finlinson Miller

Record added: Dec 09, 2013

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