Richard A. Eklund

Hampton, NH – Lieutenant Colonel Richard A. “Dick” Eklund, USA, (Ret.), 70, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at the Merrimack Valley Hospice House in Haverhill, MA after a valiant battle against leukemia. Dick was born June 10, 1944 in Norwood, MA, a son of the late Oiva and Ann (Waitkevich) Eklund. Raised in Walpole, MA, he graduated from Walpole High School with the Class of 1962 where he played hockey and football, was Captain of the football team and Class President. Dick graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1966 where he had been recruited to play hockey and was also a star lacrosse player. After earning his commission, he was deployed to the Demilitarized Zone of Korea. Upon his return he was assigned to the Army Aviation Center at Ft. Rucker, AL, where he earned his pilot wings. Dick was then deployed to Vietnam as a twin engine U-21 pilot and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service and the Air Medal for sustained aerial flight in support of combat ground forces. On October 21, 1969, while on leave in Hawaii, Dick married the love of his life, Lydia (Reynolds) Eklund. Upon his return from Vietnam, he served as an instructor pilot for the U-21 “Ute” aircraft at Fort Rucker. Following his active duty service, Dick flew for Delta Air Lines and continued to serve in the Army Reserve. He earned his master’s degree in systems management from the University of Southern California and was promoted to Delta Captain on the DC-9 in January, 1988, moving up to the 767-ER by the time he retired. While at Delta, Dick served as Council 9 Chairman for the Boston based Delta pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International. A pilot volunteer and advocate, Dick was a mentor to new pilots. His knowledge and leadership benefited fellow pilots in retirement, insurance, strike preparedness and legislative affairs. Dick also served as Chair of New Hampshire Veterans for Wes Clark in his presidential-hopeful campaign. He and Lydia moved to the NH Seacoast in 1973 where he loved to hike the mountains and boat on Sebago Lake in Maine where they bought a cabin. An avid sportsman, Dick hiked every mountain he could find while on overnights during Delta trips throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. He and Lydia travelled all over the world but some of their most precious times were with family, at home, by the pool, or at the cabin where he taught his nieces and nephews to waterski, fish and ice skate. He remained in the Army Reserve and with Delta, until his retirement from both in 2004. In addition to Lydia, his cherished wife of over 45 years, Dick is survived by his brothers, David and his wife Mary of Tiburon, CA and Kenneth and his wife Tammy of Dallas, TX; his sister, Deb Costa and her husband Tony of Mendon, MA; his nieces, Emily Paasche, Laura Eklund, Alison Eddy, Edie Puig, Trish Cabral, Margot Neufeld and April Richardson; his nephews Jason Eklund, Andy Moseley and Adam Moseley and Dick's most beloved of his nine dogs, his poodle, Lola. A Celebration of Life will be held from 1 to 4 PM on Sunday, February 8, 2015 in the Remick & Gendron Funeral Home - Crematory, 811 Lafayette Rd., Hampton. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Entombment with full military honors will be held at a later date in the columbaria at West Point Cemetery, alongside his fellow soldiers. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the NH SPCA, P.O. Box 196, Stratham, NH 03885 or to Leukemia Research for Dr. Amir Fathi, Massachusetts General Hospital, Development Office, 100 Cambridge St., Suite 1310, Boston, MA 02114, or online at www.giving.massgeneral.org/donate.

Richard A. Eklund

June 10, 1944 - January 13, 2015