A Legacy Rooted in Service

One La Porte City farm. Three directors. More than 70 years of connection to cooperative service.

EVERY FARM HAS A STORY. The farm Jeff and LuAnn Elliott call home has one with a unique connection to their local electric cooperative. 

That story began more than 70 years ago with Henry Thede, who once owned the farm. In 1953, Thede was appointed to his local cooperative’s Board of Directors to complete an unexpired term. Members elected him to a three-year term the following year. 

Thede eventually sold the farm to Dean Flickinger. When Thede moved out of his cooperative’s distribution system in 1959, he resigned from the board and Flickinger was appointed to fill the vacancy. Members elected Flickinger to a three-year term at the 1960 annual meeting. 

The connection didn’t end there. 

Dean Flickinger was Jeff Elliott’s future father-in-law. Years later, Jeff and LuAnn would make their home on the same farm. And in 1990, another chapter began. 

Jeff was elected to the Board of Benton County Electric Cooperative Association. A small article in its November 1990 newsletter introduced members to their new director and noted that Jeff and LuAnn lived on that farm south of La Porte City. 

What followed was 36 years of cooperative service. 

Jeff served through decades of change. The cooperative he joined in 1990 would eventually become part of East-Central Iowa REC. Technology transformed the electric system, and the issues facing rural electric cooperatives became increasingly complex. Through all that change, the heart of cooperative service remained much the same: neighbors willing to give their time to serve their neighbors. 

Perhaps that’s what makes the history of the Elliott farm so fitting. Across different generations, cooperative names, and changing district boundaries, three people connected by one piece of rural Iowa have stepped forward to serve their local electric cooperative. 

Jeff’s service on the ECI REC Board of Directors ended in June 2026, closing a 36-year chapter of his own—and adding another chapter to a story that began on that farm more than seven decades ago. 

As we reflect with gratitude on the peoplewho have helped shape ECI REC, we thank Jeff for the time, knowledge, and commitment he gave to the Cooperative and the members we serve. 

Thank you, Jeff, for 36 years of service!