Obituary of Robert F. Eklund

Robert Frederick Eklund, a cherished individual known for his kind, caring and humorous personality, left us on September 7, 2024. He was born on October 15, 1928 to Ragnar Fredrick Eklund and Marina Gonzalez Torres at the Norwegian Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating from Newtown High School in 1946, he went on to study agriculture at Farmingdale College.

After graduating with a degree, he started his first job at a farm in upstate New York kickstarting a career in agriculture/animal research and farming.

In 1946, Bob met the love of his life, Helen Marie Kettell. They married on April 15, 1950. During their 74 and a half years of marriage, Bob and Helen went on to have five children, Robert, Diane, Christine, Nancy and Janet.

In 1995, Bob retired and spent his time traveling with Helen and their lifelong friends, gardening and walking up to five miles a day. While Bob's love for being on the water came from his younger days boating with his father and his brother, it was when Bob was in his forties that he renewed his passion for sailing by fixing up a sailboat, teaching himself how to sail then going on to winning races and stockpiling trophies with the last one being this June. He was a long term and then honorary member of the Oneida Lake Sailing Club. This year he and Helen joined the group "Aged to Perfection" giving them the opportunity to befriend more people, play pitch and enjoy many other activities.

Robert was predeceased by his son Robert Ragnar Eklund, granddaughter Marina Eklund, mother Marina and father Ragnar, his brother Harold Eklund and sister-in-law Mildred and his mother in law, Helen Kettell. He is survived by daughters Diane Eklund Klein (Barry), Christine Eklund, Nancy Kolvik Campbell (Robert) and Janet Eklund (Kenny), his grandchildren Gina Murfit (Tony), Katie Marie Eklund, Gabrielle Eklund, Graig Klein (Micol), Jenna Klein Young (Samuel), Sara Kolvik (Ahmed), Erik Kolvik (Tanya), Elizabeth Kolvik Campbell, Anna Kolvik Campbell and his great grandchildren Attie and Leo Klein, Hayden and Aryana Kolvik, Kian, Ella and Rourke Kolvik Commerford as well as his nieces, nephews and cherished friends.

Services will be held at Westmoreland Church, 7286 West Main Street, Westmoreland, NY on September 14, 2024 with visitation at 10:00 a.m. and funeral services following at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to be made to St Jude's Hospital, an organization Bob felt strongly about or to the Sherrill, New York Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad for their caring service.

ATTENTION: PLEASE NO FLOWERS OR TREE PLANTINGS-AS PER ROBERT'S REQUEST