Ecklund, Ralph W.

Ralph W. (Bud) Ecklund, 93, of Galesburg, Illinois passed away Thursday, March 13, 2014 at 6:00 PM at Care Center of Abingdon in Abingdon, Illinois. 

Ralph was born September 8, 1920, in Knox County, Illinois, the son of Carl A. and Oral F. McCann Eklund. He married Edith M. McCune on July 11, 1942 in Kahoka, MO.

Ralph is survived by one daughter, Kathleen M. Cardinal of Slave Lake, Alberta, Canada; three brothers, Don (Gloria) Eklund of Princeton, IL; Gene (Helen) Eklund of Knoxville, IL; and Rolland (Mary) Eklund of Knoxville, Illinois. He was preceded in death by his wife, son, Major Arthur G. Ecklund, two brothers and one sister. Also surviving are four grandchildren, Felicia (Mike) Williams, Nichole Gorsline, Alyssa Gorsline and Artie Gorsline and three great granddaughters, Sydney Williams, Jada Smith and Ava Klapp.

He is preceded in death by his wife, parents, son, two brothers, and one sister.

He attended and graduated from Knoxville High School in 1937. He worked at the former Butler Mfg. Company as a painter and then supervisor until 1953, when he and his family moved to Arizona. He worked for the Dept. of Defense for thirty years in Arizona and California. He retired in 1981 and he and his wife moved back to Galesburg in 1983. He served in the U.S. Army in WW II serving thirty-three months overseas. He was a lifetime member of the VFW Post #2257; American Legion, Harry W. Philblad Post #749; and American Ex-Prisoners of War. He also served on the board of the Heart of Illinois POW/MIA Association.

He served on the church council of Grace Lutheran Church in Knoxville. He was a member of the Senior Bowling Leagues at Northgate Bowling Lanes.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, March 16, 2014 from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. at the Hurd Hendricks Funeral Home and the funeral service will be at 2:00 P.M. on Monday, March 17, 2014 at the Hurd Hendricks Funeral Home in Knoxville. Rev. Michel Clark will officiate. Burial will be at the Oak Lawn Memorial Gardens in Galesburg, Illinois. Memorial donations may be made to Grace Lutheran Church in Knoxville, Illinois. Online condolences can be made at www.hurd-hendricksfuneralhome.com

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