Gordon Ekstrand

Gordon W. Ekstrand, Army veteran of WWII and Long-life resident of Tottenville.

Gordon W. Ekstrand was born in Tottenville and graduated from Tottenville High School in 1940. He worked for Chase Manhattan Bank before serving in the U.S.Army from 1942 to 1946. He served in Europe with the 3rd Army under General George Patton as a Technician fourth grade. After his discharge, he worked for General Cable Corp in Perth Amboy, New Jersey for 18 years. He married his wife Mildred Ekstrand on June 12, 1954, at Bethel United Methodist Church and together operated Ekstrand’s Florist in Tottenville for 25 years before retiring in 1988.

He was a commander of Beauvais-Hudson Post no. 126, American Legion, and active in the honor guard. In 2007, he was named Legioneer of the year for Staten Island. He was also a member of the Huguenot Lodge of Mason’s, Tottenville Chapter AARP, Mt. Loretto Friendship Club. He was also past president of the South Shore Flag Day Parade Association and served on Troop 46 Boy Scout Committee. He was proud to watch his two sons go through scouting and become Eagle Scouts.

He was a lifelong member of Bethel United Methodist Church and served on many committees which included The Trustees, Administrative, and Memorial Committees. In May of 1991, he, his wife, and 100 veterans of the 16th Armored Division and their wives traveled through Vienna to Plzen, Czechoslovakia. While they were there for three days, President Havel and the U.S. Ambassador, Shirley Temple Black, and the people of the city gave them a parade and a celebration for liberating them during World War II.

Gordon is predeceased by his wife Mildred Ekstrand who passed in February of 2020. Gordon is survived by his two sons Ralph and Harry, his brother Richard; his five grandchildren Ralph, Lynn, Karl, Erik, and Amanda; and his great-grandchild Aurora; as well as nephews and cousins.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking to donate money to Bethel United Methodist Church.