Paul Immanuel Ekblad

Paul Immanuel Ekblad went to be with his Lord and Savior on February 12 at 9:25 PM in the quiet of his home, surrounded by his loving wife of almost 67 years plus others in his family.  His battle with Parkinson’s is now over, and his blindness is again restored to perfection.

Paul was born on January 25, 1929, to Hjalmar and Selma Ekblad at Wyanett, Minnesota.  At the age of four, he accompanied his parents and sister, Doris, to North China where his parents were missionaries.  Three years later when his mother died, his father sent Paul and Doris back to America to live with an aunt in St. Paul, Minnesota.  They stayed there for two years until their father completed his five-year term on the mission field.  Shortly thereafter, they settled on the farm south of Grantsburg where Paul grew up.  He graduated from the Grantsburg High School in 1948.

In 1951, Paul moved to Minneapolis where he spent nine years working for Honeywell.  He took electronic courses from Dunwoody Institute and repaired TVs as a sideline.

In 1955, Paul married Jean Krager of Illinois, and to this happy union were born four children:  David, Joy, Jonathan, and Janice.

In 1960 following Paul’s dad’s heart attack and his stepmother’s death, Paul and Jean moved back to the home farm where he farmed and raised honeybees, eventually building up to 450 hives.  He produced semi-truck loads containing barrels of honey.  He was president of the Polk-Burnett County Beekeepers Association for twenty years.  He taught beekeeping classes in both Wisconsin and in Minnesota, and he mentored many new beginning beekeepers.  In later years, Paul added U-Pick Berries and Raspberries to his farming productions.

Paul trusted Christ as his Savior in 1939 at ten years of age while attending some gospel preaching tent meeting in Maple Ridge, Minnesota, where his dad pastored. That night Paul became under conviction for his sins and his need for a Savior, and he asked Christ to forgive him, trusting in the work of Christ on the cross as complete payment for his sins.  As an adult, Paul taught home Bible classes for a number of years, and he was very active in the Grace Berean Fellowship of Centuria, Wisconsin.

Paul is preceded in death by five infant brothers and sisters and his mother who are buried in China, and his father and stepmother who are buried in the Trade River Free Church cemetery.  He is survived by his loving wife Jean, his son David (Judith) Ekblad of Phoenix, AZ, Joy (Marlon) Mielke of Milltown, WI, Jonathan (Elizabeth) Ekblad of Grantsburg, WI, and Janice (Mark) Croom of Yankton, SD, 13 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and his sister Doris (Ekblad) Olson of Denver, Colorado. 

Funeral services will be held on Friday, February 18th of 2022, at 11:00 AM at the Trade River Free Church, followed by interment in the Trade River Free Church Cemetery.  “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (II Timothy 4:7).

(It is requested that for those who wish to send flowers, gifts be sent instead to Grace School of the Bible, P.O. Box 97, Bloomingdale, IL  60108.)

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