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Arthur Ekstrom • 1910 - 2007 Arthur Wilhelm Ekstrom was born at the homesteaded family
farm in Kandiyohi Township, of Burke County, ND, to Per and Alma
(Erickson) Ekstrom on Nov 12, 1910. He attended Kandiyohi Country
School and at the time of his death was the oldest alumnus of
the school. He lived at home and helped work the family farm
until his late twenties, when he rented land near Niobe to start
his own farming career. Prior to this, he spent a short period
of time working at a logging camp at Colville, Washington. During
many years of farming, he served as a summer cropland surveyor. Arthur was a long-time active member of the Niobe Baptist Church and later of the First Baptist Church in Kenmare. He served in many capacities through the years: trustee, deacon, Sunday School Superintendent and taught Sunday school into his 80's. For a few years, while his health permitted, he attended the Kenmare Church of the Nazarene. He also actively served on the Bowbells Township Board and helped his farming neighbors. Arthur was a life- long waterfowl hunter and played a significant part in introducing his family to the enjoyment of hunting and fishing. He enjoyed traveling, doing cross word puzzles, excelled at horseshoe, enjoyed playing pool, and participated for many years in bowling leagues. He loved to sing and used his beautiful tenor voice in duets, trios and quartets at church services or to bring encouragement and joy to others at the nursing home up to his final days. His favorite song was "How Great Thou Art". Art was known by many who knew him well, including the nursing home staff, as a man with a twinkle in his eye, a sense of humor and one who knew how to live life to its fullest. Honest, humble, steadfast, sociable and spontaneous are words that describe him well. The Ekstrom home was one of warmth and welcome to the many visitors. Art's love for his God, wife, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and others was shown more in actions than in words. He was a "faithful servant who lived by his convictions". He is survived by his wife, Mabel; Kenmare; sister, Aurene (Arthur) Johnson, Kenmare; his three children, sons, Merlin (Ireta), Farmington Hills, MI, and Richard (Mary), Vermillion, SD, and daughter, Joyce (Ronald) Swanson, Shawnee, KS; seven grandchildren, Lee (Heather) Ekstrom, Tamela Ekstrom, Nathan Swanson, Daniel (Allison) Swanson, Michael Swanson, Rachel (Scott) Hillestad, and Samuel H. Ekstrom; eight great grandchildren; and 35 beloved nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Arvid (Lynette Lesmann); seven sisters, Agnes (Frank) Lagorin, Alice (Edward) Rodin, Anna (Royal) Martin, Alma (Joseph) Rodin, Alida (Howard) Savage, Adrie (John) Smith, and Amy (Chester) Nelson; and 13 nieces and nephews. The family extends special thanks to the staff at the Trinity Kenmare Community Hospital for their outstanding support and loving care during his residency there. Funeral: Saturday, March 24, 2007, at 11:00 a.m. at
Kenmare Church of the Nazarene, Kenmare. It is requested that memorials be sent to Child Evangelism Fellowship of ND Incorporated, Northwest Chapter, PO Box 114, Kenmare, ND, 58746 or to the Kenmare Community Hospital, Kenmare, ND 58746. Please designate funds to benefit patio or kitchen projects. Officiating Clergy: Pastor Doug West, Pastor Gary Cole and Morris Erickson Music Active Bearers: Nathan Swanson, Michael Swanson, Daniel
Swanson, Lee Ekstrom,Scott Hillestad Samuel H. Ekstrom |
Arthur
Ekstrom, 96, Kenmare, ND, departed this life on earth at the
Trinity Kenmare Community Hospital to meet his Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ, Tuesday, March 20, 2007.