Eldon Earl Ekelin

Supervisor, 69Eldon Earl Ekelin, 69, of Ritter, died, Thursday, Sept. 2, 2004 in Yuma, Ariz.

Mr. Ekelin was born Sept. 10, 1935, in Stevens Point, Wis., to Carl and Mable (Brooks) Ekelin.

He attended school in Stephens Point. He was stationed in Astoria with the U.S. Coast Guard from 1956 to 1958.

In 1957, he married Patricia Smith in Astoria. They later divorced.

After being discharged from the Coast Guard, Mr. Ekelin moved back to Wisconsin, and returned to Oregon in 1967. He became co-owner of Rosebud’s Appliance in Astoria.

He married Betty L. Chase in 1984, in Lake Oswego. She survives, residing in Ritter.

Mr. Ekelin worked for the Astoria School District as maintenance supervisor until retiring in 1993. After he retired, the Ekelins moved to Ritter.

Mr. Ekelin was active in the Astoria Hayshakers Square Dance Club and Fort Clatsop Muzzle Loaders. According to family members, he enjoyed traveling, fishing, camping, woodworking and spending the winters in Arizona.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Ekelin is survived by one brother, Gaylord Ekelin of Wisconsin; three daughters, Sherry Cayton of Gresham, Shelly Breault of Slidell, La., and Sharon Ekelin of Portland; two stepsons, Douglas Sherwood of Oak Dale, Calif., and Scott Sherwood of Umatilla; two stepdaughters, Janice Sherwood of Corona, Calif., and Brenda Hugger of Portland.; five grandchildren; Eric Allan, Allyson Estrada, Andrew and Alyssa Breault and Dakota Hawes; five stepgrandchildren; two great-grandchidlren; and one stepgreat-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by one sister, Armond McGown of Wisconsin, and one daughter, Stacy Ekelin of Astoria.

A memorial will be held at 1 p.m. Oct. 2, at the Astoria Yacht Club, 1555 W. Marine Drive.

Interment will be held later at Greenwood Cemetery in Astoria.