Eleanor Lois Eklund
"Ellie"
May 6, 1933 – November 21, 2020

Eleanor (Ellie) L. Eklund, 87, a longtime resident of Wheaton, IL, died Saturday, November 21 at home.

Born May 6, 1933 in Fairhaven, MA, her journey would lead her from the south shore of Boston to graduate Gordon College in 1955 and begin her teaching career in Rochester, NY.  While in Rochester, Ellie married her husband, Wayne Eklund, a native of Cape Cod, before moving to Wheaton where her husband served out his career at Scripture Press.  Ellie also loved her summers at Bethany Beach, MI, on her back porch.

With her passion for serving Jesus through music, she competed in the MA State Band Competition, sang in the Gordon College Concert Choir and Women's Ensemble, and played the pipe organ in numerous churches from Boston to Rochester, NY and finally at Evangel Baptist in Wheaton.  In her later years, she expressed her musical gifts through playing flute, singing with the Elizabethan Madrigals, and even marching with a colonial fife and drum corps.

Above all, Ellie desired to serve and glorify Jesus which she did till the end battling cancer with tenacity and grace.  She was a testimony to friends and family, physicians, and caregivers.  She lived with an eye toward her final sunrise in Heaven, as captured in her favorite old hymn: " When life is over and daylight is passed,  In Heaven's harbor my anchor is cast, When I see Jesus my Savior at last, O that will be sunrise for me.  Sunrise tomorrow, sunrise tomorrow, sunrise in glory is waiting for me; sunrise tomorrow, sunrise tomorrow, sunrise with Jesus for eternity."

Ellie's joy was her children: her daughters Shawn Eklund and Alane (Tom) Church; her sons Mark (Laurie) Eklund and Bryan (Brenda) Eklund; and her seven grandchildren, Megan, Jonathan, Chad (Lauren), Lukas, Joren, Alyssa, and Christofor.  She also longed to be reunited in eternity with her husband Wayne and her grandson Joshua.

We rejoice with Ellie as she fulfills the psalmist's charge: "Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!" (Ps. 150:6)

A livestream of a funeral service will be available on Saturday, November 28 at 10:00 a.m. by clicking this link: https://youtu.be/wOCzD-ZNkkU .

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the Josh Church Foundation , a charitable organization in memory of Ellie's grandson: 13165 Chaplin Street, Wadsworth, IL 60083.