John Joseph Ekelund, Jr.

1953-2021

John Joseph Ekelund, Jr succumbed to a yearlong battle with Cancer in June surrounded by his family in Greenfield, California. He lived a charmed life and leaves behind family and friends whose lives were made fuller by his presence. He will be sorely missed. It was a shock to him and all of us that he should be struck down at such a young age.

Joe, John or Joey as many knew him was predeceased by his niece, Rebecca Erin Brutzman and leaves behind his wife, Niki (LaFleur); his three Compassionate, Capable and Successful children, Natalie (Matt & Gavin) Horstmann, Jessica (Josh) Dunkerly and Joey; their mother, Nancy (Tyson); his parents, RADM John Joseph Ekelund and Lynn (Schumacher) of Monterey; his siblings, Chris (Michael), Terri (Don) Brutzman, Peter (Kellie), Tracy (Rich) Lindsay, Tricia and Kent and his nieces and nephews, Ashland, Hilary, Jacob, Sarah, Andrew, Lance, Patrick, Nina and Annabel.

Joe was born in Groton, CT in 1953, the son of RADM John J Ekelund and Lynn Schumacher. As the son of a Naval officer, he had a remarkably interesting upbringing. The family moved twenty-five times and lived in seven states. They lived in Hawaii three different times where four of his siblings were born. At one point, they lived on a farm in upstate NY where he excelled at swimming having just returned from Hawaii to the Mainland. With six siblings and adventures around every corner there was no shortage of experiences and stories to tell.

John graduated from Oxon Hill HS in 1971, the University of Maryland, College Park with a BS in Science Education & Biology 1980. He was a student organizer and helped establish one of the first recycle programs at the University. He then graduated from Officers Candidate School and was commissioned as an Ensign in the Navy in 1981. He returned to the University of Maryland where he earned an MBA in finance. He spent the next 30 years, mostly with the Montgomery County MD School District and later the Salinas Valley School District. He had a successful career in teaching and administration and helped untold numbers of students and teachers succeed.

Joe was curious and expressive, capable of engaging with people of varied backgrounds and not judgmental of people with differing views. The world was a better place with him in it.

Visitation will be held at The Paul Mortuary Chapel on Friday, July 2 from 4:00 - 7:00 PM. There will be a public memorial service at San Carlos Cathedral in Monterey, CA on Tuesday, July 6 at 10am. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Joe’s memory are suggested to The Nature Conservancy, Wounded Warrior Project or GLAAD.