Carl Eckdahl

Carl Eckdahl, age 98 of Loretto, Minnesota passed away on November 1, 2025. Born on March 31, 1927, in Red Wing, Minnesota to Gustaf and Molly Eckdahl. As a young child his family moved to a farm in Mound, and later to Independence/Maple Plain, Minnesota. Jesus reached out to Carl early in his life through families such as the Eldon Andersons, the Hamilton brothers and the Ira McKown family. Carl lived with the Phil Hamilton family and worked on the Hamilton farm. In 1944 at an evangelistic campaign, he committed his life to Jesus. He attended St. Paul Bible College (Crown College) and graduated in 1948. It was in his second year he met Ione Driemeyer and were married on June 15, 1949. It was while in college they received a call to missions.
Together they embarked on a journey of ministry in the U.S. from 1948- 1956; in Costa Rica 1957; in Ecuador from 1958-1993 (Bethel College from 1951-1955; Bethel Seminary 1968-1971). Carl ministered as a Bible teacher/director at the Seminario Biblico Alianza in Guayaquil. The current library is named after his labors: Biblioteca Carlos Eckdahl. It is the care, love and purpose that led both Carl and Ione to influence hundreds of people to know and serve God while at the Seminary,whether in tiny rural churches, evangelistic outreaches or large city churches where his students served. He partnered with missionaries and Ecuadorian nationals throughout Ecuador training the national church to carry on the ministry.
In 1994 Carl became the Pastor to the seniors of Maple Plain Community Church. In 1995 Carl and Ione were named Alumni of the Year at Crown College. Then on February 2, 1999, the Lord called Ione home. Carl described this loss as "tough days for me and our family, but the Lord's care love and purpose sustained me greatly." He kept up his work at Maple Plain Community Church till he met Peggy Kjersten in 2003 at one of his Bible studies. They were married on September 13, 2003, and continued serving together for several more years together. They said: "We can joyfully say we have served the Lord together in the Seniors Ministries.
Carl is preceded in death by wife Ione, brothers Ray and John, grandson, Joshua and wife of late, Peggy Kjersten Eckdahl. Carl is survived by his sons, David (Lynette), Michael (Rosemary), Paul (Susan), 8 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on November 8, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Maple Plain Community Church in Maple Plain, Minnesota. Memorials will go to the Seminario Biblico Alianza of Guayaquil, Ecuador.
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