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Eddie Charles Eckenberg
04/08/1937 — 11/29/2009
From Mattawa, WA, US | Born in Ketchikan, AK
Eddie Charles Eckenberg
Eddie C. Eckenberg was called home to be with our Lord and Savior on November 29, 2009 after a lengthy battle with Rheumatoid Arthritis. He fought the disease courageously and on his terms. He spent his final day at home with the Love of his life Kay and his adoring family.
Eddie was born on April 8, 1937 in Ketchikan, Alaska to the late Edgar and Louise Eckenberg. They relocated to the Skagit Valley in the 1940s. Eddie learned about hard work and good ethics from his parents at a young age. While in High School Eddie was a State class wrestler in 1953. He graduated in 1955 from Sedro Woolley high school and briefly attended WSU and returned to Skagit County. At that time he met the love of his life Kay Gubrud and they married in 1956. December 1st would have been their 53rd anniversary. Eddie was a Veteran of the U.S Army and was stationed in Texas where they had their first child Debra, before transferring to Camp Hanford, WA. When Eddie left the Army, he worked in the Hanford area. Eddies family started to grow Steven, James, Robert were all born in WA. At this time they bought their first farm in Badger Canyon to raise the growing family on a farm. A small pile of rock and sagebrush only 35 acres, he had been bitten by the farming bug. After many years of struggling with outside jobs, a growing family and a determined wife the farm grew to 500 acres and became his full time occupation.
During the years at Badger Canyon he turned the land into a producing farm and bought his first mobile cuber. Shortly, there after he was one of the first exporters of alfalfa hay cubes to Japan. In 1976, they sold the Badger Canyon farm and moved to the Mattawa, area also buying a second mobile cuber. In 1979 Eddie and his sons built their first stationary cuber. Unknown to them at that time this was to become a multiple generation family legacy. Eddie saw this as the wave of the future for packaging and exporting the hay grown on the farm, which then expanded into one of the largest hay exporting companies in United States. In 1999 Eddie served as the President of the National Hay Association at this time he was given a prestigious award Hay Maker of the Year this was the first time in the NHA history a sitting President had received this award. This was one of Eddie and Kays highlights of their lives. In 2000 Eddie went into semi retirement, he and Kay purchased a home in Palm Desert CA. They enjoyed the warm winters and sunshine connecting with the Catholic Church again Father Lincoln was a special man. This gave him time to travel and spend time with Kay. Eddie was never far from the family or business. All of their children enjoyed spending time with them at the Palm Desert office.
Eddie is survived by his wife Kay, their children Debra Randy Ness, Steven Starlet, James Janet, and Robert Andrea Eckenberg. His family grew to 12 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren which Eddie adored. He was very proud of his family and it has been quite a ride.
There will be a celebration of Eddies life at Memories at Sunset Event Center located on the beautiful grounds of Sunset Memorial Gardens in Richland, WA on December 15th 1:00-3:00 PM. You can go to Einans web page and sign the guest book if you wish. Please send a contribution to these three charities if you wish, The Boy & Girls Club, Arthritic Foundation or St. Jude.
We met Eddie and Kay through our Friend Jack Gubrud and have kept up with their family through Jack and Claudette. Eddie was a strong man and much to be admired. Kay and the family are in our prayers.
Kay and Don Gordon
Kay & Family, We are so sorry to learn of Eddie’s passing. He was a wonderful husband and father and I know he will be missed by all.
Gary & Carole Ranck
Kay and Family, I was sorry to hear of your loss; it was much too soon. We have fond memories of our good times in the old days. Peace and solice to you all.
Joanne Snider Simmons
Kay and family you are classie people and my hearth and prayers are with you all, You have enriched my life since 1981 and if there is anything i can do you know here to find my. I send this with Love and warmest prayers.
To the Eckenburg family
We are sorry to hear the passing of such a great man.Our deepest sympathy to the Eckenburg family
Kenichiro Koizumi,Kazunori Koide,
Norimasa Agawa,Ryo Tatebe,
Merry Hitomi,Eisaku Toda.
Just got the December 10th issue of the South County Sun and saw the Obituary for Eddie.
Sorry to hear of his passing.
Dear Kay & Family, We were so sorry to hear that your sweet husband and father passed away. Please know how dear you all are to us and that we are praying for all of you. Love and long hugs to your family from ours.
My love and prayers to all of you. What a wonderful Husband/Dad. Just remember all the precious memories…and I know that there are plenty! God Bless…Love Maureen
Kay and family,
My thoughts and prayers are with you. I have wonderful memories of you and your family. Loving, caring and giving. Eddie was a kind spirit. He will be missed.
Love you all.
Lynn Menard, Michael and Molly Anderson
Kay and Family, I feel blessed to have known Ed, he was a great man. I am confident his wonderful spirit will continue to be with all of you during this very difficult time and beyond. We will have you all in our thoughts and prayers.
Mom & Families,
Dad Grandpa touched our lives in many ways. We will miss him tremendously. May we all live up to the standards that he lived his life by. Family,Love,honesty, integrity were all part of this great man’s life. Dad grandpa we will miss you and you will always be in our hearts. We Love you, Mom Grandma
Kay and family,
We lift you up and pray that Jesus has His comforting arms wrapped around you during this time. We will always remember Ed for the genuine person he was, a man of intergrity. We feel blessed to have had our relationship with Ed and the entire family over the years. May you find joy in all of the wonderful memories that you share of this special Husband, Dad and Friend.
Love and Blessings,
I am sorry for your loss and wanted you to know I served with Eddie at “A” Battery Camp Hanford from approx. 1958 to 1961. He was a dedicated man and served his country well. God Bless you.
So sad to hear of this Great mans passing.
A pillar of our community, a legend, a true visionary, when Ed rolled the mobile cubers into Badger Canyon we all thought he wuz crazy, LOL. This Crazy; more than, helped create a world wide industry. A legacy that will carry his name thru out time. I owe much of my success in life to what this very courageous man helped establish. The last time I was out in Badger Canyon there was still one of the old original cubers, parked in the weeds along the ditch bank close to the old homestead. He will B greatly missed. The Ossmans salute you Ed; & our thoughts and prayers go out to the family members. God bless you all.
Based on some of my memories of his character & style, I think he might now say something like; “OK, now lets get back to work”
Jeff, Melanie & sons
As everyone knows, Ed was a big man in his heart and stature. He was always kind and gracious to our family. Our heartfelt sympathy goes to all of the Eckenburg families as well. I’m sure Ed is sitting on his bench, ‘waiting on a woman’, as the song goes.
To the Eckenberg Family:
I wanted to express my heartfelt condolences to you all, and tell you that I remember Father Eckenberg as always being kind and generous to all of us who became his surrogate kids. I loved the time I got to spend with all of you! God Bless you!
Jeffrey Nelson
Eckenberg Family
During the past 5 years that I have been associated with Diamond E Transport, I was never able to meet Mr. Eckenberg. Through knowing his family and the dedication and values that they have. Mr. Eckenberg must have been a wonderful man and will be greatly missed by many.
our condolences to the Eckenberg family.
We remember the old days when you were in Badger Mountain on the homestead. We have fond memories of our families together, the hard work and the fun we shared.
May we all send our thoughts & love to you all, and may the good Lord bless & keep you & your memories of good times, love & caring for each other.
Dee, Barb & family
I first met Ed almost 25 years ago and was immediately impressed with his integrity, business knowledge, patience, kindness, attention to detail and vision. He was revered and respected by those around him. He was certainly patient with me and I consider him one of the most influential mentors in my career. He was a wonderful steward of a business he created and a loving father and husband. I will miss him dearly but am blessed to have known him and his family.
Kay & Family,
As the patriarch and founder of a strong and good family Ed will be missed and remembered always with respect and love. May the Lord be with you as you mourn his passing.
To the entire Eckenberg Family:
It is hard to imagine a world without Eddie in it. He is a respected and great man. My thoughts and prayers are with you in this difficult time.
Our sympathy and prayers to the Eckenberg Family. Words cannot express the gratitude for making me and Jarrod a part of the family. We will miss Ed.
Kay and family,
We have a lot of memories from being your neighbors for the last 30+ years. We especially remember the “ash” year 1980 and took encouragement from watching the Eckenberg family persevere that forgettable year. The strength Ed displayed then continued on to the present as the Eckenberg family and business became a bedrock in the community.
We will all miss Ed. May God provide strength in this difficult time.
To the entire Eckenberg Family
We had planned to be at Ed’s Celebration of Life today, but the weather didn’t cooperate. Instead we send our love and prayers to all of you. We enjoyed the visits with Ed and Kay when we lived in Mattawa and will miss him very much.
Dear Family,
We were so sorry to hear of Ed’s passing recently. The next time we are in Mattaw we would love to stop by.
Always, The Peterson Family
kay and family, we wanted to attended ed’s funeral, but already had a commitment to baby sit , brenda and john’s family in portland.sorry we haven’t seen you two for quite some time.you are in our prayers and we alway’s had much respect for ed.we will always remember the good times visiting
We were so sorry for your loss. Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.
Guestbook for
Eddie Charles Eckenberg