Edanelle Mae “Eddie” Ekstrand, 101
Welcome – A Service of Remembrance for Edanelle “Eddie” Ekstrand, 101, of Welcome, will be 11 a.m., on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Blue Earth. Burial will be in the Welcome City Cemetery in Welcome.
Eddie passed away on Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 9, 2023 at Lakeview Methodist Health Care Center in Fairmont, at the age of 101. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Blue Earth and one hour prior to the services at the Church on Wednesday. Arrangements are under the care of Kramer Family Funeral Home in Trimont, Sherburn and Welcome.
Messages of Sympathy may be sent to the family online at www.kramerfuneralhome.com
Edanelle Mae “Eddie” Saunders was born on March 5, 1922, to George and Florence (Jellison) Saunders in Newton, Iowa. She graduated from Newton High School in 1940. After attending night school classes in Mechanical Drafting, she was employed at the Rock Island (Illinois) Arsenal as a Junior Draftsman. In 1944 she was employed at The Brammer Manufacturing Plant as an Omsrud Shaper operator.
On Dec. 15, 1951, she was united in marriage to Alvin “Bud” Ekstrand in Davenport, Iowa. The couple lived briefly in Ojai, California after their marriage. They moved to Gillette Grove, Iowa, in 1952 where Bud farmed with his brother-in-law, Millard Filmore. In Sept., 1954, they moved to Welcome, and lived there until 1994, when they moved to Fairmont.They remained in Fairmont until Bud’s passing in September, 2008. Eddie then moved to Blue Earth, living there until her move to Lakeview Methodist Health Care Center in 2019.
Eddie was City of Welcome branch librarian, teacher’s aide at Welcome Elementary School, Girl Scout leader, Den Mother, and a curator at the Welcome Museum. She co-wrote “A Century of Memories: A History of Welcome, Martin County, Minnesota” along with dear friend and colleague Peggy Lutz. Eddie was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Welcome from 1961 to 2008, where she was Supt of Cradle Roll and Church Librarian for a number of years. She belonged to TWELCA, was a Sunday School and Confirmation teacher and mentor, and a member of the Altar Guild as well. She became a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Blue Earth, in 2008. She enjoyed attending Bible study there, and also delivering Sunday church bulletins to members residing in St. Luke’s Lutheran Care Center.
In April, 1999, Eddie received the Community Service award from the local chapter of the DAR in Martin County. Her hobbies were stamp collecting, doing crossword puzzles and logic puzzles, and in her later years, making scrapbooks. She enjoyed reading, emailing her friends, Bible study, and making church banners.
Survivors include her daughter, Elizabeth (Dennis) Boettcher, of Blue Earth; grandsons, Christopher, of Mankato, Todd of Elmore, Chad (Carrie), Mankato; and Travis Boettcher, of Moose Lake; beloved granddaughter, Maggie Sanders, of Fairmont; 10 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great grandchildren; son-in-law, Richard Lee, of North Potomac, Maryland; sister, Carolyn “Kelly” Ziemer, of Elk River; several nieces and nephews.
Eddie was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Bud; daughter, Tracy (Ekstrand) Lee; sister, Gertrude Saunders; brother, George Saunders; sister-in-law, Doris Saunders; brother-in-law, Richard “Dick” Ziemer; nephew, Gary Saunders, and niece, Diane Ziemer.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Lakeview MHCC, Trinity Lutheran Church (Blue Earth), and/or the Welcome Historical Society/Museum.