Funeral services for 83-year-old Eldon Ekstrom of Butterfield, Minnesota will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday morning, September 12, 2014, at First Lutheran Church in Butterfield, the Reverend Lowell Asplund officiating. The church is located at 450 Second Street South.
Interment will be in Butterfield City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, September 11, 2014, at Sturm Funeral Home-St. James, located at 906 10th Avenue South in St. James, Minnesota. A second visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the church the day of the service.
Eldon Ekstrom passed away on Sunday, September 7, 2014, in St. James.
Eldon Ray Ekstrom was born in St. James on March 17, 1931, the son of Algort and Helen (Youngdale) Ekstrom. He was baptized at East Sveadahl Lutheran Church on April 15, 1931 and confirmed at East Sveadahl on May 20, 1945. Eldon graduated from St. James Public High School in 1949. He then attended the University of Minnesota School of Agriculture in St. Paul.
On June 27, 1953, Eldon was united in marriage to Ruby Pierson. Eldon worked as a creamery operator, farmed, was an agri-business manager and currently did electric motor repair and refrigeration work.
Eldon served on the Butterfield Fire Department for 26 years, serving as Fire Chief for eight years. He was active in his church, First Lutheran of Butterfield, serving as a council member. Eldon also served on the board of Luther Memorial Home in Madelia. He enjoyed fishing, hunting and camping and watching sports. Eldon and Ruby hosted at State Park Campgrounds near Starbuck and Battle Lake each summer for the past 15 years.
He is survived by his wife Ruby Ekstrom of Butterfield; his children, Sandra (Rodney) Mitchell of Mankato, Minnesota, Shari (Ronald) Matyzsczyk of San Antonio, Texas, Daniel Ekstrom of Butterfield and Douglas (Michele) Ekstrom of Eagle Lake, Minnesota; grandchildren, Ashley (Dustin) Roberts, Brittany (Charlie) Eppard, Kylie Matyszczyk, Jason Matyszczyk and Madelin Ekstrom; sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Preceding him in death were his parents; brother, Adean; granddaughter, Sophia; brothers-in-laws and sister-in-law, Larry and Beverly Ahern, Nels Pierson and Leo Zellmer and parents-in-law, Nels and Anne Pierson.
