March 19, 1932 - October 29, 2024
Lawrence Carl Ecklund passed away on October 29, 2024 at Valley View Haven. He has
been a member of the Valley View Community since 2007.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Elmira (McNeel) Ecklund, by
his son, David, by his grandson, Ezra and by his great granddaughter, Riley Kim.
He is survived by his wife, Jean, by two sisters, Gladys and Dorothy, by his
children: Mark (Tasha), Suzanne, Lana and Judy, by his grandchildren: David,
Jonathan, Jennifer, Natika, Ianniq, Elmira, Randy and Samantha and by his great
grandchildren: Annabelle, Logan, Finley, Tallon, Wyatt, Josie, Ezra, Idris, Mina,
Emily, Lillian and Elliot.
Larry was born on March 19, 1932 on his family farm near Irvona, PA and spent
his youth farming alongside his parents. He graduated from Madera High School in
1950, then attended Penn State University where he graduated in 1954 with a BS
in Agronomy.
In 1955 Larry was drafted into the US Army. He was an SP2, trained in Germany
to be a radar and computer fire control repairman. Most of his time in the service
was spent in England. Upon his return to the states, he worked for a few years as an assistant county agent in Columbia and Clarion counties where he was involved mostly with 4H programs.
Later while working as an account supervisor and copywriter for an agricultural
advertising agency in Butler, he met his wife Jean, who was a nursing student in
Butler at the time. They married in 1959 and returned to the family farm, where
Larry established a herd of registered and grade Holstein dairy cattle.
Larry retired from the dairy business in 1988. He then worked as a field supervisor
for Environment Gro and Bio Gro, two waste management firms, in an effort to
reclaim distressed coal stripped areas using conservation and erosion control
practices.
In 1993 Larry and Jean joined the Peace Corps and served for three years in the
countries of Senegal, West Africa and Lesotho, Southern Africa as agricultural
volunteers. The Peace Corps experience impacted their lives in many ways.
After the Peace Corps, Larry and Jean worked for several years at Hampshire
Country School, a private school for boys in Rindge, NH. They then purchased a
retirement home near Tioga, PA where they lived until moving to the Valley View
Community.
Larry was a world traveler. He was a life-long learner with many interests and
hobbies. He was a carpenter, a stone mason and a skilled woodworker. Larry built
his own house and also built a post and beam barn building. He created many
beautiful wood projects including bowls and furniture for family and friends. He
enjoyed doing scientific and electronic experiments and had a special interest in
photography. That included developing photos in his own darkroom, doing pinhole
photography and building pinhole cameras. In his eighties, he learned to fly a
drone and he became proficient at drone photography.
Larry was a life-long member of the Presbyterian church. He was an ordained
Elder and Deacon and had membership in 4 Huntingdon Presbytery Presbyterian
congregations over the years. He served as a long-term Presbyterian mission
volunteer at Sheldon Jackson College in Sitka, Alaska and as a short-term mission
volunteer at locations in the United States, Honduras and Nicaragua. He belonged
to the West Kish Presbyterian Church in Belleville and also enjoyed attending
Sunday School at Maple Grove Mennonite Church.
Larry was a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity in various places throughout his
life. He participated in Habitat for Humanity’s Jimmy Carter Work Projects in
Kentucky, Georgia, Mexico, India and Vietnam.
He also enjoyed volunteering here at Valley View, especially riding on the garbage
truck with his friends.
Larry was extremely proud of his family. A private event will be held at a later date
for the family to share their memories of him. There will be no public service, per
his request, Larry’s remains will be donated to Humanity Gifts Registry.
We are very appreciative of the love and care that Larry has received at Valley
View.
Memorial Gifts can be given to Valley View Retirement Community Endowment
Fund, 4702 East Main Street, Belleville, PA 17004 or to Habitat for Humanity International, GIFT FROM THE HEART 1-800-
HABITAT.
Arrangements are under the care of Henderson Funeral Home, Belleville. Online condolences can be made to www.hendersonfuneralhomes.net.
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