Our beloved father and grandfather peacefully fell asleep in Jesus at the age of 77. Born in Centralia, Washington to Joe and Aili Eklund, Dean “Mac” Eklund was the fourth of five children to his Finnish parents. A lifelong resident of Independence Valley and Rochester, he began work at a young age of 8 to help support his family during hard times. From milking cows and farm work, he grew into his profession as a logger. He worked in various logging camps throughout Alaska and Washington alongside his brothers Tuff and Richard Eklund. He met and then married Dorothy Rae Harding on Sept. 27, 1973 in Reno, Nevada. Settling back home in Rochester, they had two children, Kristi and Jeff. He continued his passion for the outdoors as he was an avid hunter and developed into an independent logger, or in his words: “a one man show.” Mac was preceded in death by his parents Joe and Aili, sister Rita, brothers Arlen “Tuff or Wolfman'' and Richard, and his first love Dorthy. He is survived by his sister Vernita (Boots) Sandvig of Vancouver, Washington; three children Mickey (Bill) Ambeau of Winlock, Washington; Kristi (Ray) Curtis of Olympia, Washington and Jeff Eklund of Rochester, Washington. His grandchildren include Danielle, Laura, Sydnee, Nathan, Landon and Madison. He also leaves behind numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and close friends.
A celebration of life will be held in his honor for a potluck luncheon at the Independence Grange on Nelson Road in Rochester, Washington on May 21, 2022 at 1 p.m.
