Barbara Jean (Oehme) Ekedahl

LANCASTER - Barbara Jean (Oehme) Ekedahl, 91, passed away on Friday November 7th, at 11:15pm, with her son Erik at her bedside reading her the Psalms she loved.

Barbara was born to Gaylord Paul Oehme and Helen Evelyn (Simpson) Oehme, on December 7th, 1934, the second child of five (Katy, Nancy, Dale and Lynn). She grew up with her siblings in Grayslake, IL. Barbara experienced the Pearl Harbor attack on her seventh birthday, and her father died at the age of 38 when she was 11 years old.

Barbara’s first job was with a small local bank, finding an affinity with numbers and finances she excelled, and went to school to learn to be an accountant, eventually finding employment as a personal assistant at Northwestern Mutual Insurance Company, where she helped develop the “One Card” system which is still in use today. Barbara’s career at Northwestern Mutual continued with several leading insurance agents, such as Mr. Prentice, Mr. Curtis and Mr. Leo Tibenski.

While attending Moody Bible Church in Chicago, Barbara met Richard Ekedahl in the singles group and the two were married July 29, 1978, welcoming their son Erik soon thereafter despite Richard having colon cancer, going through chemo and radiation and being told he was sterile as a result.

While in Wisconsin, Barbara worked for the Grant County Job Center as the Older Worker Specialist for a 5-county area, running the office so successfully that they led the state in job placements of older workers, continuing until her retirement.

Barbara was preceded in death by her husband Richard, and her siblings Katy (Jim) Teaters, Nancy (Jack) Corcilius, and Dale (Kitty) Oehme. She is survived by her sister Lynn (Glenn) Brill, her children Lys (Jim) Loney and their children Megan, Devin (Jocelyn), Kaitlyn (Ronnie), and Nolan (Chelsie); and Erik (Sarah) Ekedahl and their children Jael, Michael, Nathan and Andrew, foster daughter Patricia (David) France and their children Chloe and Charlotte, and great-grandchildren.

Barbara was a faithful Christian, a strong prayer warrior, and a good friend to many, sending cards and gifts to everyone she could. She encouraged and ministered to many people in her life and always acknowledged how blessed she was and sought to bless others throughout her life.

We would like to invite you to join us in a celebration of both her life and her husband Richard’s life at the same time. Would you please consider writing down a situation, story, or just something you have held onto and remember with fondness whenever you think of Barbara or Richard (or both)? We can share them during the memorial… it’ll be fun!!  The service will also be streamed on YouTube for those unable to attend in person, the link can be found at www.youtube.com/@ErikEkedahl/streams