Celebrating the Life of
Carole Eklund
January 13, 1950 — September 27, 2023
Obituary
Carole Eklund Born 1/13/50- Died 9/27/23 Carole was born in Tulare, California on January 13th, 1950 to Dr. Edward Eklund and his wife Ame Eklund (a psychiatric nurse). Carole was a shy, dreamy girl who loved animals even at a young age. She had 2 Siamese cats as her best friends as a young girl, and often walked around with a pet parakeet on her shoulder.
Carole grew up playing outdoors with her 3 siblings on their bikes and played cowboys & Indians on the many acres above Napa State Hospital (where the doctor residences were). Her family enjoyed camping, and went on a yearly camping vacation- visiting some of the most beautiful state parks on the west coast. The Eklund family had many hilarious stories about their vacations. If you said “we’ll never make it to Oregon” or “this is the fairy princess” you will get an outburst of laughter every time.
Carole was in Job’s Daughters in her early teen years, along with her sisters. The family then moved from Napa to Atascadero in December of 1965 and Carole left Napa Senior High in Napa to enroll in Atascadero High School where she graduated in 1968. After relocating to Atascadero, Carole joined the riding group the Wranglerettes, riding a palomino named Specter. She enjoyed trail rides, gymkhanas and horseback progressive dinners with her fellow Wranglerettes.
Carole was highly intelligent and was a member of the Mensa Society which requires a high IQ for membership. She had a quick wit and dry sarcasm that made you laugh.
Carole loved fishing & often took her nephew Nathan Dawes fishing. She also took a gun safety course, bought a gun and went shooting with her nephew Travis Dawes. She was a true “Best Aunt Ever” and went to all the graduations and special events for her nephews and nieces living in California.
Carole was a member of the local Lutheran church where she went through confirmation in Atascadero. She occasionally attended services with her mother Ame Eklund. Ame ended up being wheelchair-bound and Carole faithfully cared for her until her death.
Carole’s work career began as a motel maid in San Simeon, and she went to work at Atascadero State Hospital in 1971 at the age of 20. She became a psychiatric technician and then unit supervisor there. Carole went back to school and got her degree in computer programming, and afterward did programming for the state hospital. She worked there until her retirement.
Carole had a lifelong love relationship with her dogs, and was actively involved for many years in the local kennel club and SLODOG (Santa Lucia Open Dog Obedience Group). She had the honor of being a dog obedience show judge and ring clerk at many a show. She trained her dogs with Eileen Harnedy of Canine Academy, doing obedience work, agility and flyball. Eileen and Carole became lifelong friends. Carole made many other friends in the dog world including Lisa Conklin, who showed some of Carole’s dogs.
Carole owned Calia - Cavalier Kennels and produced, trained and showed Belgian Tervuren, Malinois and Sheepdogs. As part of her dog breeding program Carole co-bred litters with long time friend, Sandi Weldon, under the MonAmi - Cavalier kennel names. Many of their dogs went on to become obedience and conformation champions.
Carole spent most of her holidays with her sister Lora & husband Wesley, and her brother Erik & wife Willa. She loved to go to the movies with Lora and was an avid reader all her life.
Carole moved to Idaho after retiring, and then spent all her time with her sister Sandy & her husband Earl White. She enjoyed the entire White family and especially got to know her niece Richelle White who was her realtor for the home she bought. Richelle introduced Carole to fancy chickens, and Carole ended up with chickens and a coop.
Carole was known for loving all things blue, all things sparkly and all things soft. Her heart was true blue, she was sparkly with joy and her heart was soft with love for her family and friends. She spent her last years with her sister Sandy’s love surrounding her.
Carole was preceded in death by her father Dr Edward Eklund and her mother Ame Eklund.
Carole is survived by sister Sandy & Earl White (nephews Erik (& Missy) Cary, Mark (& Melissa) Cary, niece Michelle (& Casey) Rush, nephew Tony (& Richelle) White, Dave (& Susan) White, Steve (& Cynthia) White, Sylvie White) .
By sister Lora & Wesley Dawes (nephews Travis Dawes, Nathan (& Julie) Dawes, and niece April Wilkerson)
By brother Erik & Willa Eklund (nephews Brian (& Jennifer) Eklund, Matt (& Kendra) Eklund, and Jeff (& Chelsea) Eklund, plus multiple great nieces & great nephews on all sides of her family.
Carole will be greatly missed by all her friends and family. Wear something blue and sparkly in her honor and do something kind for a dog. We know she is watching (and smiling) from heaven.
Services
Reception
Saturday, November 18, 2023, 4:00 pm - 10:00 pm Pacific Time
Canine Academy, 13655 San Antonio Rd, Atascadero, CA 93422
Please join Carole's family and friends at a Memorial Gathering to help celebrate Carole's life! We ask that you bring finger foods to share if you can, something that Carole would have liked! ~~~~ Dress is informal but please wear something Blue and Sparkly ~~~~ Please consider donating to Belgian Tervuren Rescue in Carole's name: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=GRW3NECER6U3E
Memories and Condolences
Please share a photo or video, or post a heartfelt condolence to the family.
Carole ordered this glass shelving unit to show off her pretty glass collection. She wanted it put up in her window so the light would shine through.
Carole loved this blingy mirror and chose black furniture to go with it in her bedroom. Touches of red rounded out her decor.
We designed her beach room together and she shopped catalogs and Amazon for accessories!
Carole & Gwen supervising the workday
Canine Academy Workday Shenanigans
Happy Mals with their Ball thrower.
Carole playing ball with the crazy Malinois Pack, Red, Whoppi, and Solo
Steph & Carole swimming with the Mals at the SLODOG Campout 1999
Carole is a true morning person. Here she is at the 1998 SLODOG Campout.
Carole & Toby at the 2003 Eukanuba Championships. Toby was 2- 3 months old and Steph was in the ring with Solo.
Carole with Tera
From Roberta Vitols - I met Carole when I worked with her as officers of SLODOG. She was President and I was Recording Secretary. We sat together at a table in front of the audience and I got to hear her asides as we moved through the agenda! My job was to take notes as activities moved forward and not burst out laughing. I had the feeling that Carole was fundamentally shy and being diplomatic and pleasant was an odious chore. A genuine character, a force to be reckoned with, an astute observer of humankind! Roberta
early SLODOG crew!
A group repair project with friends!
From Karen Clanin - Because I had a Malinois in the 1970s Carole and I began to talk dogs at shows and matches. Jim and I moved up here from SB in 1977 and I encountered Carole in a shopping center parking lot one evening when I was training Brig and we began talking about SLODOG being defunct and agreed we would work together to try to get it going once again. A small group of members (had about 13 members back then) rode to dog trials/shows in Carole's van, imagine folding chairs set up in the back of the van for usually 2 or 3 others riding along with dogs. She was quite a character.
Carole with Ryder at Cuesta College, a SLODOG demo in the 1980s.
Many of you knew Carole from SLODOG and SLOKC functions, Canine Academy classes and activities or just dog related happenings in general. She was a fixture in the SLO county dog world for many years. Carole moved to Idaho in 2017 and lived near her older sister for the last years of her life so we didn’t have a lot of contact during that time, just a few visits when she was traveling to dog shows in Southern California, but she was instrumental in bringing Belgian Shepherds to this area, for which I am forever grateful! She was a great friend and could always be counted on to help out with any activities that we held here or functions that any of the dog clubs hosted. For those of you that are SLODOG members, Carole is one of the main reasons that that club initially got started and then after going defunct, she and Karen Clanin resurrected it. SLODOG would not be here today if it was not for Carole! We will be holding a gathering in her memory on Saturday, November 18th from 4 to 10PM at my house, 13655 San Antonio Rd, Atascadero. Please come and join the celebration of her life. If we told ALL the Carole stories that we all remember we would be there ALL night!!! ~ Eileen~
Lisa C visiting Carole in Idaho!
Carole doing what she does best...Grooming her dog for the Really Beeg Show!
Peri, Carole and Daisy and Sandi at La Guardia airport - New York in February! Yikes!
Sandi and Carole in New York on top of the Empire State Building
Carole and Daisy in Central Park
Carole and Daisy with her Westminster ribbon!
Carole at Canine Academy
SLOKC rally trial
SLODOG fun day
SLODOG UKC show
SLODOG obedience steward training.
SLOKC show in Paso
Carole and Erik at Erik and Willa's wedding, 1975. She looks so proud of him.
Carole not sure when this was taken.
Carole and Baby Brian.
Carole feeding Baby Travis.
Carole and Mom Ame at Brian's baby shower.
Carole celebrating one of our son's events.
Papa Doc (Ed, Our sons called him that), Carole and Willa.
Nathan, Carole, Matthew at Matthew's Eagle Court of Honor. Nathan had previously earned his Eagle.
Carole at her 50th birthday party, Hawaiin Style.
Carole and Jeff and Jeff's high school graduation, 2000. She always came to all of our sons' events.
Jeff's high school graduation with Willa's Dad, Bill, Matthew, Brian, Jeff, Jennifer, Willa's Mom, Nellie, Willa, Carole, in 2000.
Christmas at Erik and Willa's house with her father Ed about 1975 or so.
Carole enjoying conversation and dinner at Wes and Lora's.
Eklund kids leaning on each other.
Carole, Julie and Nathan at Wes and Lora's house.
Carole, Sandy, Erik looking at an old Eklund photo book.
Wes and Lora's family plus Erik, Willa and Carole
Wes, Lora, Erik, Willa, Carole at Lora's house.
Lora, Erik and Carole at Wes and Lora's house.
Carole LOVED receiving and opening presents. She also liked giving them. And she would spend hours picking out fancy wrapping paper and bows. Her favorite was silver mylar paper with holographic images. She also loved everything dragon-related....I'll bet she read the Dragonriders of Pern fantasy series- by Anne McCaffrey- at least 8 times (I have only read it 5 times).
Carole (age 1) and Sandy (age 3) posing for the camera. Our father had his own darkroom and took many pics of us. It was fun going in the darkroom and watching the pictures come up on the paper while it was soaking in the developing solution. He was quite an ardent photographer.
The Eklund family circa 1980'ish. From left to right- Carole, mom Ame, sister Sandy, brother Erik, sister Lora and father Edward. Taken at Lora's old place on Buena Vista Drive in Paso Robles.
Another family camping trip- I think this is Crater Lake in the background. That was the year my; father cut my hair off super short so lucky Carole and Sandy got haircuts too.
Christmas dinner 1994. Carole at far left, then her nephew Travis holding one of our dogs, then her brother-in-law Wesley, then her niece April and Lora. I think that Nathan must have been taking the picture. K loved a good home cooked meal and we shared many around that table.
Happy birthday to K! We always made a big deal out of her birthday at our house (and so did Erik & Willa). We are all so glad that Carole and Sandy were able to see so much of each other the past years up in Idaho.
3 generations of Eklund women- Grandma Jean Eklund (our paternal grandmother) top left, probably looking to escape us (ha!), Ame Eklund our mother top right, and front row left to right are Lora, Sandy and Carole.
Around 1956- Carole on the right about 6 years old and her pipsqueak little sister Lora on the left about 4 years old. (I think that is Erik in the background). We all loved to create moats, channels and mud puddles whenever we got a chance.
Christmas Eve, getting Aunt Carole ready to tend to her chicken ladies in the cold Idaho weather!
Working hard!
Good times, Good friends!
Denny's Class Again!
Easter dresses for all 3 girls- Carole on the left. Trying to figure out is she is holding areal cat or stuffed animal version.
Carole also loved clothing and blankets that were super soft.
The 4 Eklund kids top left Carole(10), top right is Sandy(12), bottom left Erik(5) and bottom right is Lora(8). Ages are my best guess.
Lora and K (our nickname for Carole) doing something on our computer a looking time ago.
I believe these might have been the very first 2 Belgians Carole ever owned- their names were Babette and Cosmo. She got them from Reverend Tom Badger and his son Orville Evenson. Babette did not want to stay there... she ended up escaping and biting both of us in the process (it was an eventful day!) I remember clearly our mother taking us to the ER with us dripping blood everywhere.Yikes!
Carole with our mom at Christmas around 1992 or 1993
On our couch with sister Sandy and brother-in-law Wesley . She had just given him a flyswatting gun for Christmas and was explaining the best way to ambush the fly!
Carole loved getting sparkly things as gifts.
Carole with one of her first dogs- a darling Brussels Griffon. (1969 or 1970)
Carole with her nephew Nathan (Wesley & Lora's son) around 1987-1988.
Carole with mom Ame 1989, going to April's (Lora's daughter) adoption hearing.
Carole around 3 yrs old with her sister Sandy
Carole wearing "antlers" at Christmas
I met Carole when I just started Agility at canine academy. She was always supportive and full of good advice. She also helped my daughter Sophie with her dog Toupette . I sherish these memories of training and trialing. I I missCarole and her bright smile .
Carole and Claire KWHR
Carole around the age of 2 with her mother Ame Eklund, on one of our famous camping trips.
Kerstin and Carole
Greg, Carole and Sandi W saying "Cheese"!
Natalie Q, Carole and Chuck Q
Carole and Lisa C
Carole and the Wild Bunch!
Idaho or Bust!
Carole's moving to Idaho party, lots of Blue and Sparkles!
Carole at Denny's class!
Carole and Stephen
Carole in Idaho with sister Sandy on the left, and Sandy's daughter-in-law Richelle on the right.
Visiting her sister Lora at her office
Obedience work!
Carole at our first Christmas after Erik & Willa were married
Eileen and Carole
Joyce and Carole
Carole at her party when she was moving to Idaho