Gregory J. Ellerbroek

Gregory “Greg” John Ellerbroek, passed away Monday, May 6, 2024, at CHI Heart Hospital, Lincoln, Nebraska.   Per Greg’s wishes, a private family service is being planned. Online condolences can be expressed at meyerbroschapels.com.

Greg was born March 10, 1951 in Cherokee, Iowa to Vernon “Bud” Ellerbroek Jr and Patricia Hagerstrand Ellerbroek.  He graduated from Washington High School, Cherokee in 1969.  He attended Buena Vista University, graduating in 1978 with a degree in sociology and psychology. Greg graduated from the University of South Dakota in 2000 with a Master’s in Business Administration.  

Greg met the love of his life, Kathleen Kreisler in December, 1966.  They were married in Cherokee on January 30, 1971.  They were soon joined by their son Shawn in 1972. Their family was completed with the birth of their daughter, Amber in 1975.  He raised his children to believe in justice and fairness.   

 He began a career in law enforcement when he joined the state probation office in Sac City, Iowa in 1978.  He later joined the Federal Probation Office in Sioux City, Iowa in 1984. Greg retired as Chief Federal Probation Officer of the Northern District of Iowa in 2007.

Greg loved golf, bowling, playing 500, and fishing.  Many wonderful memories were made catching walleye during family vacations at Lake Koronis in Minnesota.  In the season of 1989-1990, Greg bowled a 300 game and a 700 series for team Club Fed.   His second highest score was a 299 game.   The Iowa Hawkeyes football and men’s basketball team had a life-long fan in Greg. He rejoiced when a man with a moustache from Texas came to Iowa City to resurrect the football program, but no one would ever convince him that the 1986 Rose Bowl game was not rigged. He especially loved Iowa football’s recent dominance over Nebraska (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023). He was a fan of Iowa Women’s Basketball long before he was joined by the rest of the country.

Greg is survived by his wife Kathy of Sioux City; his son and daughter-in-law Shawn and Angie Ellerbroek of Waverly, Iowa and their children Mason, Rhett and Ariana Ellerbroek; his daughter and son-in-law Amber and Nick Hegarty of Sioux City and their children Grant and Benjamin Hegarty.

Those who wish can direct memorials in Greg’s name to the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center or the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.