Michael Ellerton
It is with heavy hearts we announce that Sgt. Michael Anthony Ellerton passed away on July 1, 2025, after a four-year battle with cancer.
Born Jan. 31, 1994 in, Lohr a.M., Bayern, Germany, he spent the first seven years of his life there before moving with his parents and brother Paul to the U.S. to be raised with his future brothers.
From an early age, he excelled academically, despite frequent moves and hard times. He graduated from Polson High School near the top of his class. He then went to Montana State University chasing a chemical and biological engineering degree. It was not for him.
He then spent a year out of state finding himself and returning home to restart. From early on, Michael always wanted to be a soldier and serve his country, since his dad is a veteran.
This desire to serve led him down the path to becoming a Deputy, where he could protect people and take criminals off the street. He thrived in that environment, asking for a K-9 and S.W.A.T. training, which he talked the county into providing. This proved fruitful, wiht them finding missing children and doing much more in the few short years they served. His level of dedication, attention to detail and looking at things through a different lens led him to also take on investigative tasks for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. His end goal was to be a U.S. Marshal, because he wanted to find the most dangerous among us and bring them to justice. He was strict, but loving. He would enforce the law while fiercely protecting rights and exhibiting great patience. He loved what he did and he did it exceptionally well.
He loved his family and had a wicked sense of humor. He loved a game of chess or a trip to the range. He could be serious or silly. He was insanely close to his three brothers. Those that knew him, know. He was complex and yet easy to understand.
He fought hard, hoping to beat something that had a 99 percent chance of winning. He fought anyway, and this was him. A man of principle, dedication, fortitude and sheer will.
He is survived by his grandfather, Brian Ellerton; parents, Shawn Ellerton and Edith Ellerton (Holembowski); brothers, Paul, Nicholas and Matthew; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Paul Holembowski and Martha Holembowski (Krauss); his paternal grandmother, Catherine Ellerton (O’Donnell); his maternal aunt, Evi Bauer (Holembowski); and his paternal cousin, Caleb Quaife.
Celebration of life and fallen officer service was at the Sidney, Mont., event center on Monday, July 14, at 10 a.m. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel of Wolf Point has been entrusted with the arrangements.
(Paid Obituary)
