Ingrid Eklof Bamber

1920-2022

Ingrid was born at the family farm Vikeboda in Valdemarsvik, Sweden on November 4, 1920. When she was about two years old Ingrid emigrated with her mother Anna Dahl Eklof and her grandmother Anna Dahl to the US where they were reunited with her father Gustaf (Gus) Eklof in Worcester, MA. Within a short time Gus was transferred by his employer, Thompson Wire Steel, to Mattapan, MA, and the family moved to the Swedeville section of Norwood buying a house on Chapel Street. Ingrid’s sister Elsie was born not long after the family moved to Norwood. Ingrid formed a close relationship with her Swedish-speaking grandmother who frequently took care of her when her mother Anna was tending to baby Elsie. Ingrid often talked about the happy childhood she had in this lively neighborhood and shared vivid memories of friends and neighbors there. She was a member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church from early childhood and remained a member for almost 100 years.

Ingrid attended the Winslow School in Norwood as a child and met her future husband Edward Bamber there when she was older by hitting a tennis ball into his path as he was walking to his nearby family home on Gardner Road. Ingrid graduated from Chandler School in Boston after high school and worked briefly for Bird & Son before marrying.

Edward and Ingrid married in 1942 and gave birth to Donald before Edward shipped off to the South Pacific with the Army Corps of Engineers. After the war ended the young family lived on Walters Road in Norwood where David was born and they eventually moved to 365 Walpole Street in Norwood to a house built by Edward’s father, builder John E. Bamber, where daughter Peggy was born.

Ingrid and Edward lived a full life raising their family, actively participating as members of Emmanuel Lutheran Church, playing golf at Wampatuck Country Club in Canton, and spending summers at Smith Heights cottages in Eastham with friends and extended family. Ingrid was a talented oil painter, an interest she continued until her death.

After Edward’s retirement from the town of Sharon, the couple built their retirement home on Ellis Pond and continued to enjoy gardening, their granddaughters, golf, winter travel to Myrtle Beach and Beaufort, SC, and remained active at Emmanuel Lutheran Church. After Edward died in 2001, Ingrid moved to New Pond Village in Walpole, and eventually relocated to Thirwood Place and Liberty Commons on Cape Cod. She had just celebrated her 102nd birthday and seen her granddaughters from the West when she died after a very brief illness.

Ingrid is survived by her son Donald E. Bamber and his wife Gail of San Diego, CA; Ruth Bamber of Bandon, OR, wife of son David who died in July 2022; daughter Peg (Bamber) Flood of Orleans, MA; and granddaughters, Jen (Bamber) Nicholson, and fiance Kyle Fletcher of Edmonds, WA; and Annie Bamber and husband Sheldon Benedict of Payson Arizona. Ingrid also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews, and her sister-in-law Joan Bamber of Norwood. Funeral arrangements are planned for 2023. The family suggests donations in memory of Ingrid may be made to: Emmanuel Lutheran Church, https://www.emmanuelnorwood.org, Norwood Circle of Hope, https://norwoodcoh.org, 22 Mohawks Veteran Suicide Prevention, https://22mohawks.com, Macular Degeneration Association, https://macularhope.org.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.nickersonfunerals.com.