Stuart Ekblad -- Red Wing

Published August 23, 2017 at 12:28 PM

Stuart Ekblad, 88, of Red Wing, died on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.

Born July 12, 1929, in Red Wing to Evan and Ella (Nord) Ekblad, he was raised on the family farm in Vasa, Minn. He graduated from Red Wing High School where he pitched for the Red Wing Aces. He later obtained a degree from Dunwoody Technical Institute. After school, he served in the Korean War and was awarded two bronze stars. After his honorable discharge, he returned home and married Marlene Buck in 1956, at the Little Brown Church in the Vale in Nashua, Iowa.

He lived in Red Wing for a short while and later settled in Hay Creek, where he started to farm the land. He instilled in his children the values of hard work and conservation, which he had learned while growing up on the family farm in Vasa. Stuart had a strong work ethic and loved to work.

He made his start driving truck for Lawrence Leasing and putting in septic systems with Milt and Waldo Johnson. In the '60s, he started Stuart Ekblad Excavating. He had the privilege of working alongside some great people who became lifelong friends. In 1975, he was one of five entrepreneurs who formed Red Wing Developers, Inc. and purchased the former Red Wing Sewer Pipe Company. They developed the area that came to be known as Clay City Industrial Park.

In addition to working hard, Stuart also enjoyed history, antiques, playing cards and the great outdoors. He took his children and grandchildren on countless hunting trips and snowmobiling excursions out west. One of his favorite pastimes included driving his Willys Overland car and the original Red Wing fire truck in local parades. Stuart had a big heart and supported many organizations over the years including The Shriners International, Mayo Clinic Foundation, Arbor Day Foundation, American Cancer Society, and many other organizations. He was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Burnson-Lillyblad VFW Post #1218 and the Leo C. Peterson American Legion Post #54 and a past member of the Red Wing Elks. BPOE #845.

Stuart is survived by his wife of 60 years, Marlene; daughters, Jill (David) Dingle of Boise, Idaho and Nancy (Bill) Reuter of Hermiston, Ore.; sons, Grant (Calli) Ekblad and Paul Ekblad all of Red Wing; grandchildren, Rebekah, Nick, Mikey, Abigail, Stuart, Shayna, Samantha, Sadie, Satchell, Emily and Colt; 14 great-grandchildren; one brother, Charlie of Faribault; one niece, Michele Ekblad-Frank; and one nephew, Al Ekblad. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Dorothy; son, Shane; and granddaughter, Elizabeth.

Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Kristin Schlauderaff officiating. Full military honors at the church will follow. Burial will be at a later date. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. with a 7 p.m. Legion prayer service on Friday, Aug. 25, at the Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel and at the church for one hour prior to the service.

Memorials are preferred to Mayo Clinic Foundation or the Goodhue County Historical Society. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com.