Memorial for Ollie Ekstedt

Ollie Ekstedt died Oct. 27, 2011. He was a resident of Valley Park.

He was born Oct. 18, 1926, in East St. Louis, to the late Gustave and Lelah Ekstedt. He was the husband of Margie Ekstedt (nee Mescher); father of John (Jo) Ekstedt and Pat (Tom) Weaver; grandfather of Christopher and Erik Weaver; brother in-law of Edwin (Esther) Kamp and Ruth Morrissey; uncle of Ann Babb and her husband Peter Rosenfeld, Carol Babb, Mary (Tom) McNamee and Mark (Donna) Kamp; great-uncle of Patrick, Timothy, Kelly and Colleen McNamee and Joseph and Thomas Kamp.

He served during World War II in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Enterprise. After the war concluded, he returned to the states as an electronics instructor while stationed at Great Lakes. He joined the Naval Reserve following his enlistment and worked constructing the DEW line in Alaska. He began work for AT&T as a lineman. He earned a master's degree from Washington University in electrical engineering. He taught for three years at the Bell Systems Center in Chicago before returning to St. Louis. Much of his career was spent automating the telephone system throughout the continental United States. He retired from Bell in the early 1990s to enjoy spending time with his grandsons and family.

His family indicates he had a passion for traveling with Margie to all parts of the world. He was known for feeding all who entered his home. His passion for fixing and building was unmatched, earning him the title "Mr. Fix-It."

A visitation will be held Sunday afternoon from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Schrader Funeral Home chapel, 14960 Manchester Rd., at Holloway Rd. in Ballwin.

A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at the funeral home. Entombment will follow at Bellerive Mausoleum.

If desired, memorial contributions may be made to the Circle of Concern, 112 St. Louis Ave., Valley Park, MO 63088-1720.