David V. Eckman

He was born in Duluth to R. Vern and Hildur M. Eckman on May 9, 1937, and was a member of Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity with his family until graduating from Duluth East High School in l955. He was active in sports, particularly golf, football, and basketball, and made many lifelong friends there. He spent summers at the family cabin on Sand Lake near Moose Lake and excelled at golf, winning the Moose Lake Open Golf Tournament five times starting at age 12. He was the first champion of the Moose Lake Short Stop Tournament in 1956, and repeated that victory in 1980. He continued to play friendly tournament golf his whole life and will be remembered for his athletic prowess and his love of the game.

David graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1959, where he played football, and remained a loyal Gustie. He attended Augustana Seminary in Rock Island, Ill., and was ordained as a Lutheran Pastor in l964 at Northwestern Seminary in Minneapolis.

David served as a called pastor at Faith Lutheran in Forest Lake, Minn.; Elim Lutheran in Duluth; Zion Lutheran in Cloquet; Immanuel in Brookston; Cross of Glory in Mounds View, Minn.,; Augustana Lutheran on Midway Road, and other short interims. He retired from Pilgrim Lutheran Church, in Superior, after 18 years of ministry, where he was active with the youth as well as University of Wisconsin-Superior campus ministry, men's breakfast, bible studies and visitation.

He heroically battled depression and mental health challenges for most of his adult life, and those struggles aided his ability to be a loving, sensitive and caring pastor, able to relate to all ages and walks of life. He was an active and faithful member and mentor in AA everywhere he lived for over 25 years.

He became a member of Hope Lutheran Church in Moose Lake, in 2002, when he and his wife moved to their lake home on Sand Lake. They spent winters in Lehigh Acres, Fla., until he entered care in the Bayshore Health Center in Duluth four years ago.

He always found time to be with his family. He made friends easily and kept them for life, sharing of himself and his faith without judgment or pretense. He was an inspiration to many and continued to witness to his love of the Lord until his death into eternal life.

He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Janice (Erickson); his children, stepson Brian Erola (and Jolene) and grandchildren Danielle and Brody, all of Owatonna, Minn.; daughter Jennifer of Cincinnati, Ohio; son Scott of U.S. Army Bamberg, Germany; sister Barbara Krig and family of Minneapolis; one aunt, Margo Eckman of Minneapolis; and numerous cousins and close friends.

MEMORIAL CELEBRATION SERVICE: 1 p.m. Wednesday July 6, 2011, in Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity, 2701 W. Third St., Duluth. Fellowship and refreshments will be served at the church following the service. A burial service will be held at Faith Lutheran Church Memorial Rose Gardens in Lehigh Acres, Fla., at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to ELCA World Hunger, Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn., or your choosing.

To leave a memory of David or words of support for the family, please visit www.bellbrothersfuneralhome.com.