Eric Ekstam Lund

About Eric

Eric Ekstam Lund, of Bemidji, MN, passed away April 19, 2024, surrounded by his family. Eric loved life and waged a courageous two-year battle with cancer. He was thankful for the loving support he received from his family, extended family, and friends throughout those two years. He was loved and will be deeply missed. Eric was born November 28, 1959, to Gene and Louise (Ekstam) Lund in Moorhead, MN. He was the fourth of five boys, and he loved telling stories of growing up with his four brothers and spending time with his many cousins, aunts, and uncles.

Eric graduated from Moorhead High School in 1978. He graduated in 1982 from Concordia College in Moorhead with majors in Mathematics and Philosophy. He attended graduate school at the University of Iowa, where he initially studied Physics and went on to earn a Ph.D. in Mathematics in 1990.

In 1990, Eric joined the faculty of Bemidji State University, where he had a long and rewarding career as a professor of Mathematics. Eric cared deeply for his many students and colleagues; retiring early because of cancer was a great sorrow for him.

Eric married Danae Beattie in 1994. Eric and Danae were blessed with 30 years of marriage and three beautiful children - Ethan, Anna, and Britta. Eric treasured family time spent together at home and during their many travels and camping trips.

Eric’s greatest joy in life was his family and he especially loved being a father. He was always available for his children with a compassionate ear, energy for a bike ride or a game of catch, help with their homework (especially math) or with music, and a ready willingness to climb on things that probably shouldn’t be climbed on.

Eric was a kind and intelligent man, and a man of many interests and talents which he pursued with passion. A gift he offered his children was his willingness to develop a keen interest in whatever they were interested in. Eric was a musician and played piano and viola. He especially loved playing the piano music of Bach, Beethoven, and Chopin, and this beautiful sound was regularly heard throughout the house. A great joy in his life was playing in the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra.

Eric also loved Mathematics and regularly left pieces of paper all around the house which were covered with mathematical musings not decipherable to the rest of us. He was quick to identify numbers by their factors and enthusiastically pointed out prime numbers he came across; he was deeply moved by the beauty of Mathematics in the world.

Eric loved literature and languages. He was well-read, and loved discussing books and authors. He loved the natural world, philosophy, history, and art. He studied art as a hobby and enjoyed painting landscapes.

Eric valued being physically active and was keenly interested in athletics. He pole-vaulted on the Concordia College track team and participated in this sport life-long, as did his brothers. Eric was especially thankful for how he was embraced by the Bemidji State pole vaulters and was welcomed to participate in vaulting during their track practices.

In late 2022 Eric had a few weeks’ break from chemotherapy, and he took advantage of his increased energy by pole-vaulting in an alumni track meet at Bemidji State University. Eric was also an avid distance bicycler; his bike trips included a solo cycling and camping trip from Pacific to Atlantic. Eric also loved canoeing, wilderness camping, hiking, ice skating, cross-country skiing, playing catch with his brothers or his children, and watching sports, especially baseball.

Eric was preceded in death by his parents and by several uncles, aunts, and cousins.

He is survived by his wife, Danae; children, Ethan, Anna, and Britta; brothers and sisters-in-law, John and Diana, Rolf and Lisa, Victor, Nathan; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Dean and Donna Beattie; brother-in-law, Daniel Beattie; nieces and nephews and their spouses, Matthew and Kim, Alycia and Brandon, Dan, Anders, Blake and Karissa, Destani, Karson, Demetri and Ryan, Jason, Jonah, Cecelia, Jaelyn, Ava, and Sammy; aunts, Mary and Diane; many cousins; and close friends Roger Avelsgaard and Barbara Maas.

Eric’s family wishes to express gratitude to family and friends who offered kindness and support in so many ways and for so long. We also express our thankfulness for Eric’s medical care team, especially Dr. Dan DeKrey, each of the nurses and providers at the Joe Lueken Cancer Center, and for the hospice team that offered such compassionate caring in the last week of Eric’s life.

memorial service

Memorial Service for Eric

April 27, 2024

St Bartholomew's Church 1800 Irvine Ave NW, Bemidji, MN 56601, USA

Funeral/Cremation Provider: Cease Family Funeral Home