Audrey
Audrey Ecklund
d. November 10, 2013
Audrey F. Ecklund, 92, New Salem, died November 10, 2013 at Elm Crest Manor, New Salem.
A funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm on Thursday, November 14, 2013 at Elm Crest Manor, New Salem. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at Peace Cemetery, New Salem.
Audrey was born March 14, 1921 on the family farm south of New Salem, the daughter of John Christ and Eva (Toepke) Kleih. She was raised on the farm and educated in a country school. Upon graduating from high school, she worked at Quain and Ramstad Clinic and later at the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company. Audrey became a Christian, giving her heart and life to the Lord and attended the Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis for one year. While there, she felt she was called to be an elementary school teacher. Returning to ND, she attended Dickinson and Minot Colleges and taught in rural schools for six years, getting more education during the summer. She then taught in a parochial school in Michigan City, IN for two years and attended Concordia Teachers College in Seward, NE getting her degree in 1971. Wanting to be near her parents who were ill at the time, she taught at the Bismarck Schools until retiring in 1987. Audrey met a very special fellow, Carl Ecklund, a Gideon who she married in November 1989. Later she joined the Gideon Auxiliary. She and Carl enjoyed many trips in their camper. Carl died in January 2006 and Audrey continued living in their home until moving to Missouri Slope Care Center in November 2006. In 2007 she was happy to return to her hometown of New Salem where she resided at Elm Crest Manor until her death.
Left with fond memories are two sisters, Arlene Rusch and Joyce Held, both of New Salem; nieces and nephews, Dale (Jackie) Heid, Diane (Keith) Norton, Deb (Dane) Fuchs, Denise (Anthony) Lobato, Delila (Corrie) Kuester, Jeanine (Marvin) VanEvery, Rodney (Marilyn) Rusch, Marcy (Kelly) Dawson, Jeri (John) Lynch, Bruce (Jodie) Held, and Brian (Sara) Held; four step children, Carol Sauer, Barbara Ecklund, Forrest (Alyce) Ecklund, all of Bismarck, and John Ecklund; 8 step grandchildren; and 10 step great grandchildren.
Audrey was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Carl; sister and brother-in-law, Donna (Elmer) Heid; brothers-in-law, Warren Rusch and Marvin Held; and two great nieces, Karen Becker and Wendy Norton.
The family wishes to thank the caring staff at Elm Crest Manor for the loving care Audrey received.
A funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm on Thursday, November 14, 2013 at Elm Crest Manor, New Salem. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at Peace Cemetery, New Salem.
Audrey was born March 14, 1921 on the family farm south of New Salem, the daughter of John Christ and Eva (Toepke) Kleih. She was raised on the farm and educated in a country school. Upon graduating from high school, she worked at Quain and Ramstad Clinic and later at the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company. Audrey became a Christian, giving her heart and life to the Lord and attended the Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis for one year. While there, she felt she was called to be an elementary school teacher. Returning to ND, she attended Dickinson and Minot Colleges and taught in rural schools for six years, getting more education during the summer. She then taught in a parochial school in Michigan City, IN for two years and attended Concordia Teachers College in Seward, NE getting her degree in 1971. Wanting to be near her parents who were ill at the time, she taught at the Bismarck Schools until retiring in 1987. Audrey met a very special fellow, Carl Ecklund, a Gideon who she married in November 1989. Later she joined the Gideon Auxiliary. She and Carl enjoyed many trips in their camper. Carl died in January 2006 and Audrey continued living in their home until moving to Missouri Slope Care Center in November 2006. In 2007 she was happy to return to her hometown of New Salem where she resided at Elm Crest Manor until her death.
Left with fond memories are two sisters, Arlene Rusch and Joyce Held, both of New Salem; nieces and nephews, Dale (Jackie) Heid, Diane (Keith) Norton, Deb (Dane) Fuchs, Denise (Anthony) Lobato, Delila (Corrie) Kuester, Jeanine (Marvin) VanEvery, Rodney (Marilyn) Rusch, Marcy (Kelly) Dawson, Jeri (John) Lynch, Bruce (Jodie) Held, and Brian (Sara) Held; four step children, Carol Sauer, Barbara Ecklund, Forrest (Alyce) Ecklund, all of Bismarck, and John Ecklund; 8 step grandchildren; and 10 step great grandchildren.
Audrey was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Carl; sister and brother-in-law, Donna (Elmer) Heid; brothers-in-law, Warren Rusch and Marvin Held; and two great nieces, Karen Becker and Wendy Norton.
The family wishes to thank the caring staff at Elm Crest Manor for the loving care Audrey received.
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