MISSOULA - Lenus John Ekstrand was born January 13, 1911, and passed into God's glory on Saturday, Decrember 25, 2004. He died at his home with his loving wife at his side.
Lenus was born to Gustav Edwin and Anna Sophia Johnson Ekstrandin the house that his grandfather had built north of Cokato, Minn. He had one brother, Maurtz, and four sisters, Irene, Vivian, Marian and Angeline. Lenus went to the Knapp Country School and high school in Cokato, graduating in 1929.
There were no school buses so Lenus and his sister Vivian drove to high school in a Model-T Ford with no top. Roads were not hard-surfaced or well-maintained so they shoveled snow and plowed through mud. There were also chores to do at home and farming to be completed. After graduating from high school, during the winter months, he attended the Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis studying electricity.
Following the death of his mother in 1945, he had a farm sale and bought two grain combines. With three helpers, he joined the Mobile Harvesting Brigade, harvesting grain from Oklahoma to Canada. He enjoyed the excitement of harvest and meeting many different farmers and harvesting crews.
In the spring of 1945, he rented land around Eagle Butte, S.D., and started wheat farming in those wide open spaces. He became interested in building stock watering dams for the ranchers so he purchased larger dirt-moving equipment. He was affectionately known as "Slim Ekstrand."
On Oct. 31, 1948, he married Miss Julia Prescott at Little Cedar Church in Adams, Minn. The arrival of a son, Jon Lenus, and daughter, Alice Irene, in 1950 and 1952 provided great joy to Lenus and Julia. The family moved to Missoula in 1960 to provide wider educational opportunities for their children.
Lenus worked in the housing department at the University of Montana for 14 years, retiring in 1977. He then returned to his first love of wheat farming. He farmed various land parcels in the Big Flat area for the next 10 years.
Lenus was baptized and confirmed at the North Crow Lutheran Church, a beautiful country church that his father had helped build. He was a Sunday school teacher and took care of the church building and cemetery for several years. The family belonged to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cokato before moving to Missoula in 1961. They became members of Immanuel Lutheran Church. Lenus was a faithful church member, always interested in promoting the Christian Gospel.
He was a member of the VASA Scandinavian Club for many years. Lenus was a good listener, read widely and enjoyed visiting with anyone who came his way. He enjoyed fishing and, at age 60, took up downhill skiing. He continued with that sport until he was 75. He also enjoyed Scandinavian needlepoint and knitting gloves and dolls.
In 1994 he suffered a stroke following heart surgery, which severely damaged his eyesight.
Lenus is survived by his wife Julia; son Jon Ekstrand and wife Cindy of Sparks, Nev.; daughter Alice Scavarda and husband Victor of Idylwild, Calif.; his sister Vivian; sister-in-law Florence; five grandchildren, Joseph and Meghan Ekstrand and Amy, Emily and Robert Scavarda; and several cousins in Canada, Minnesota and California.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, three sisters and a granddaughter.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 30, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 830 South Ave. W., with a reception following. Urn placement will take place at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Missoula Public Library or Immanuel Lutheran Church.
Arrangements are under the care of Livingston, Malletta & Geraghty Funeral Home.
-Missoulian | 28 Dec 2013.
Lenus was born to Gustav Edwin and Anna Sophia Johnson Ekstrandin the house that his grandfather had built north of Cokato, Minn. He had one brother, Maurtz, and four sisters, Irene, Vivian, Marian and Angeline. Lenus went to the Knapp Country School and high school in Cokato, graduating in 1929.
There were no school buses so Lenus and his sister Vivian drove to high school in a Model-T Ford with no top. Roads were not hard-surfaced or well-maintained so they shoveled snow and plowed through mud. There were also chores to do at home and farming to be completed. After graduating from high school, during the winter months, he attended the Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis studying electricity.
Following the death of his mother in 1945, he had a farm sale and bought two grain combines. With three helpers, he joined the Mobile Harvesting Brigade, harvesting grain from Oklahoma to Canada. He enjoyed the excitement of harvest and meeting many different farmers and harvesting crews.
In the spring of 1945, he rented land around Eagle Butte, S.D., and started wheat farming in those wide open spaces. He became interested in building stock watering dams for the ranchers so he purchased larger dirt-moving equipment. He was affectionately known as "Slim Ekstrand."
On Oct. 31, 1948, he married Miss Julia Prescott at Little Cedar Church in Adams, Minn. The arrival of a son, Jon Lenus, and daughter, Alice Irene, in 1950 and 1952 provided great joy to Lenus and Julia. The family moved to Missoula in 1960 to provide wider educational opportunities for their children.
Lenus worked in the housing department at the University of Montana for 14 years, retiring in 1977. He then returned to his first love of wheat farming. He farmed various land parcels in the Big Flat area for the next 10 years.
Lenus was baptized and confirmed at the North Crow Lutheran Church, a beautiful country church that his father had helped build. He was a Sunday school teacher and took care of the church building and cemetery for several years. The family belonged to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cokato before moving to Missoula in 1961. They became members of Immanuel Lutheran Church. Lenus was a faithful church member, always interested in promoting the Christian Gospel.
He was a member of the VASA Scandinavian Club for many years. Lenus was a good listener, read widely and enjoyed visiting with anyone who came his way. He enjoyed fishing and, at age 60, took up downhill skiing. He continued with that sport until he was 75. He also enjoyed Scandinavian needlepoint and knitting gloves and dolls.
In 1994 he suffered a stroke following heart surgery, which severely damaged his eyesight.
Lenus is survived by his wife Julia; son Jon Ekstrand and wife Cindy of Sparks, Nev.; daughter Alice Scavarda and husband Victor of Idylwild, Calif.; his sister Vivian; sister-in-law Florence; five grandchildren, Joseph and Meghan Ekstrand and Amy, Emily and Robert Scavarda; and several cousins in Canada, Minnesota and California.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, three sisters and a granddaughter.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 30, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 830 South Ave. W., with a reception following. Urn placement will take place at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Missoula Public Library or Immanuel Lutheran Church.
Arrangements are under the care of Livingston, Malletta & Geraghty Funeral Home.
-Missoulian | 28 Dec 2013.
MISSOULA - Lenus John Ekstrand was born January 13, 1911, and passed into God's glory on Saturday, Decrember 25, 2004. He died at his home with his loving wife at his side.
Lenus was born to Gustav Edwin and Anna Sophia Johnson Ekstrandin the house that his grandfather had built north of Cokato, Minn. He had one brother, Maurtz, and four sisters, Irene, Vivian, Marian and Angeline. Lenus went to the Knapp Country School and high school in Cokato, graduating in 1929.
There were no school buses so Lenus and his sister Vivian drove to high school in a Model-T Ford with no top. Roads were not hard-surfaced or well-maintained so they shoveled snow and plowed through mud. There were also chores to do at home and farming to be completed. After graduating from high school, during the winter months, he attended the Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis studying electricity.
Following the death of his mother in 1945, he had a farm sale and bought two grain combines. With three helpers, he joined the Mobile Harvesting Brigade, harvesting grain from Oklahoma to Canada. He enjoyed the excitement of harvest and meeting many different farmers and harvesting crews.
In the spring of 1945, he rented land around Eagle Butte, S.D., and started wheat farming in those wide open spaces. He became interested in building stock watering dams for the ranchers so he purchased larger dirt-moving equipment. He was affectionately known as "Slim Ekstrand."
On Oct. 31, 1948, he married Miss Julia Prescott at Little Cedar Church in Adams, Minn. The arrival of a son, Jon Lenus, and daughter, Alice Irene, in 1950 and 1952 provided great joy to Lenus and Julia. The family moved to Missoula in 1960 to provide wider educational opportunities for their children.
Lenus worked in the housing department at the University of Montana for 14 years, retiring in 1977. He then returned to his first love of wheat farming. He farmed various land parcels in the Big Flat area for the next 10 years.
Lenus was baptized and confirmed at the North Crow Lutheran Church, a beautiful country church that his father had helped build. He was a Sunday school teacher and took care of the church building and cemetery for several years. The family belonged to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cokato before moving to Missoula in 1961. They became members of Immanuel Lutheran Church. Lenus was a faithful church member, always interested in promoting the Christian Gospel.
He was a member of the VASA Scandinavian Club for many years. Lenus was a good listener, read widely and enjoyed visiting with anyone who came his way. He enjoyed fishing and, at age 60, took up downhill skiing. He continued with that sport until he was 75. He also enjoyed Scandinavian needlepoint and knitting gloves and dolls.
In 1994 he suffered a stroke following heart surgery, which severely damaged his eyesight.
Lenus is survived by his wife Julia; son Jon Ekstrand and wife Cindy of Sparks, Nev.; daughter Alice Scavarda and husband Victor of Idylwild, Calif.; his sister Vivian; sister-in-law Florence; five grandchildren, Joseph and Meghan Ekstrand and Amy, Emily and Robert Scavarda; and several cousins in Canada, Minnesota and California.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, three sisters and a granddaughter.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 30, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 830 South Ave. W., with a reception following. Urn placement will take place at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Missoula Public Library or Immanuel Lutheran Church.
Arrangements are under the care of Livingston, Malletta & Geraghty Funeral Home.
-Missoulian | 28 Dec 2013.
Lenus was born to Gustav Edwin and Anna Sophia Johnson Ekstrandin the house that his grandfather had built north of Cokato, Minn. He had one brother, Maurtz, and four sisters, Irene, Vivian, Marian and Angeline. Lenus went to the Knapp Country School and high school in Cokato, graduating in 1929.
There were no school buses so Lenus and his sister Vivian drove to high school in a Model-T Ford with no top. Roads were not hard-surfaced or well-maintained so they shoveled snow and plowed through mud. There were also chores to do at home and farming to be completed. After graduating from high school, during the winter months, he attended the Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis studying electricity.
Following the death of his mother in 1945, he had a farm sale and bought two grain combines. With three helpers, he joined the Mobile Harvesting Brigade, harvesting grain from Oklahoma to Canada. He enjoyed the excitement of harvest and meeting many different farmers and harvesting crews.
In the spring of 1945, he rented land around Eagle Butte, S.D., and started wheat farming in those wide open spaces. He became interested in building stock watering dams for the ranchers so he purchased larger dirt-moving equipment. He was affectionately known as "Slim Ekstrand."
On Oct. 31, 1948, he married Miss Julia Prescott at Little Cedar Church in Adams, Minn. The arrival of a son, Jon Lenus, and daughter, Alice Irene, in 1950 and 1952 provided great joy to Lenus and Julia. The family moved to Missoula in 1960 to provide wider educational opportunities for their children.
Lenus worked in the housing department at the University of Montana for 14 years, retiring in 1977. He then returned to his first love of wheat farming. He farmed various land parcels in the Big Flat area for the next 10 years.
Lenus was baptized and confirmed at the North Crow Lutheran Church, a beautiful country church that his father had helped build. He was a Sunday school teacher and took care of the church building and cemetery for several years. The family belonged to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cokato before moving to Missoula in 1961. They became members of Immanuel Lutheran Church. Lenus was a faithful church member, always interested in promoting the Christian Gospel.
He was a member of the VASA Scandinavian Club for many years. Lenus was a good listener, read widely and enjoyed visiting with anyone who came his way. He enjoyed fishing and, at age 60, took up downhill skiing. He continued with that sport until he was 75. He also enjoyed Scandinavian needlepoint and knitting gloves and dolls.
In 1994 he suffered a stroke following heart surgery, which severely damaged his eyesight.
Lenus is survived by his wife Julia; son Jon Ekstrand and wife Cindy of Sparks, Nev.; daughter Alice Scavarda and husband Victor of Idylwild, Calif.; his sister Vivian; sister-in-law Florence; five grandchildren, Joseph and Meghan Ekstrand and Amy, Emily and Robert Scavarda; and several cousins in Canada, Minnesota and California.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, three sisters and a granddaughter.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 30, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 830 South Ave. W., with a reception following. Urn placement will take place at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Missoula Public Library or Immanuel Lutheran Church.
Arrangements are under the care of Livingston, Malletta & Geraghty Funeral Home.
-Missoulian | 28 Dec 2013.
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