Rodney
Rodney Ekberg
d. December 24, 2012
Obituary for Rodney P. Ekberg
Rodney Paul Ekberg, 82, died December 24, 2012, in Durango, Colo. Burial will be at Greenmount Cemetery in Durango. A celebration of life will be held in the spring when the headstone can be set.
Mr. Ekberg was born on November 26, 1930, in Glenwood, Iowa, the son of Mary Ellen King and Ernest Ekberg. He graduated from Mascot High School class of 1948 in Nebraska. He played basketball and football all four years. After high school, he moved to California to fight fires for the Department of Forestry. He was then drafted to the United States Marine Corps Reserve. He was sent to Korea, where he served from March 18, 1952, to March 8, 1954, when he was honorably discharged. During his service he received the National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal and the United Nations Service Medal.
On February 27, 1955, at the First Church of God in McCook, Neb., he married Ida Mae Ekberg. The two worked together as entrepreneurs running a motel and service station in Nebraska. In addition, they rented apartments and acted as landlords. After he was widowed, he moved to Colorado to be with his family. In February of 2009, he moved with his family from the Denver Metro area to Durango.
He was an amazing man who had many amazing stories. He would tell stories of the Dust Bowl, the Korean War and the 1970’s. He had traveled with his family to many countries, including Fiji, Thailand Kenya, Tanzania, New Zealand and Australia. In his short visits he made impressions on the people he met and some people got to know him well enough to call him Dad Ekberg.
He loved fishing and looked forward to the opening of Lake Nighthorse. He would regularly go sit in his car and look at the lake or sit by the Animas River most weekdays. In addition, he enjoyed going up to Sky Ute Casino to play the slots when he could. He was an avid Nebraska Cornhuskers fan and watched every one of their games. He loved spending time with his grandchildren. He was known for his keen wit and always made people laugh at the silliest jokes. He took pride in caring for his family. He would be there at the drop of a hat in order to help any one of his family members. Rod was an extraordinary role model to all that knew him and he will be greatly missed.
Mr. Ekberg was born on November 26, 1930, in Glenwood, Iowa, the son of Mary Ellen King and Ernest Ekberg. He graduated from Mascot High School class of 1948 in Nebraska. He played basketball and football all four years. After high school, he moved to California to fight fires for the Department of Forestry. He was then drafted to the United States Marine Corps Reserve. He was sent to Korea, where he served from March 18, 1952, to March 8, 1954, when he was honorably discharged. During his service he received the National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal and the United Nations Service Medal.
On February 27, 1955, at the First Church of God in McCook, Neb., he married Ida Mae Ekberg. The two worked together as entrepreneurs running a motel and service station in Nebraska. In addition, they rented apartments and acted as landlords. After he was widowed, he moved to Colorado to be with his family. In February of 2009, he moved with his family from the Denver Metro area to Durango.
He was an amazing man who had many amazing stories. He would tell stories of the Dust Bowl, the Korean War and the 1970’s. He had traveled with his family to many countries, including Fiji, Thailand Kenya, Tanzania, New Zealand and Australia. In his short visits he made impressions on the people he met and some people got to know him well enough to call him Dad Ekberg.
He loved fishing and looked forward to the opening of Lake Nighthorse. He would regularly go sit in his car and look at the lake or sit by the Animas River most weekdays. In addition, he enjoyed going up to Sky Ute Casino to play the slots when he could. He was an avid Nebraska Cornhuskers fan and watched every one of their games. He loved spending time with his grandchildren. He was known for his keen wit and always made people laugh at the silliest jokes. He took pride in caring for his family. He would be there at the drop of a hat in order to help any one of his family members. Rod was an extraordinary role model to all that knew him and he will be greatly missed.
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