James Ecker

James Ecker, age 87 of Browns Valley died February 12, 2015, at Browns Valley Health Center.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, February 17, 2015, at 10:30 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Browns Valley. Visitation will be held at Mundwiler and Larson Funeral Home in Browns Valley Monday evening from 5 – 7 p.m. with a prayer service at 7. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Rev. Paul Warnier will officiate and Ginny Westbrock, Todd Johnson, and Jim Jung will provide music. Urn bearers will be Jay Ecker and Jeff Ecker. Honorary bearers will be the Browns Valley Fire Department and American Legion Post 58. Burial will be in Midway Cemetery.

James F. Ecker was born on July 11, 1927, to Howard and Josephine (Cress) Ecker on the family homestead in Woodside Township, Otter Tail County, Minnesota. He attended country school and Bertha High School. Jim served in the U.S. Army during World War II. After his discharge he worked as parts man at Best Motors in Webster, South Dakota, where he met and married Shirley Carlson on April 27, 1949.

Jim worked as a lineman for Davis-Hydaker of Ohio and Hallett Construction of Crosby, Minnesota. In 1952, he began employment with Otter Tail Power Company, retiring from there in 1989. While employed with Otter Tail, Jim and Shirley lived in several towns in North Dakota until they were transferred to Browns Valley in 1958. He was the service representative for Browns Valley and for the towns of Peever and Wilmot, both in South Dakota.

Jim was baptized and confirmed at Bethany Lutheran Church in Rugby, North Dakota. In Browns Valley he was an active member of Zion Lutheran Church, where he served as a Trustee and as Treasurer. He was an active member of American Legion Post 58 in Browns Valley and spent many hours volunteering there. Jim was also a member of the Browns Valley Historical Society. In the past he has served on the City Council, Browns Valley School Board, and was retired from the Browns Valley Fire Department. He was a Cub Scout Leader in Browns Valley and served on the Arrowhead District Sioux Council of the Boy Scouts of America and in 1988 was awarded the district Award of Merit.

Jim was proud of the restoration he did on his father's 1935 McCormick-Deering corn binder and later donated it to the Thresher's Group in Dalton, Minnesota. He also spent a great deal of time building a scale model of his childhood homestead.

Jim died on February 12, 2015, at Browns Valley Health Center, having reached the age of 87.

Left with his loving memory are his wife, Shirley, of Browns Valley, MN; son David (Pat) Ecker of Browns Valley, MN; grandsons Jay Ecker of Browns Valley, MN; Jeff (Staci) Ecker of Twin Brooks, SD; and step great-grandchildren Dylan, Abby, and McKenzie Michels.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents; brother Vernon Ecker; and sister Myrtle (Tom) Tydlacka.