Eddie C. 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 1940’s. 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. Eddie’s 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 Kay’s 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 Eddie’s 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 Einan’s 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.

The family invites you to express your thoughts and memories in the online guestbook at www.einansfuneralhome.com.