John Charles Eklund Jr.

Services for JOHN CHARLES EKLUND JR. will be at 10:00 a.m. on November 24, 2025 at the Albin Elementary Gymnasium and immediately following the service will be a light lunch and reception at the Albin Community Center. The service will be officiated by pastor Jeff Giles and a burial at the Albin Cemetery will follow the reception. The casket will be closed. John peacefully joined his Lord and Savior on November 14th, 2025 in the arms of his sweet wife. He passed away at the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center at the age of 74 after a several year battle with cancer. Donations and gifts can be directed to his family who will be setting up a memorial fund to assist children in purchasing first year animals for 4-H, continuing what he started years ago. Arrangements are under the direction of Schrader, Aragon and Jacoby Funeral Home, at schradercares.com

John was born September 1, 1951 to John C. Eklund Sr. and Mildred (Kuncheff) Eklund in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He grew up on the family farm and ranch located west of Albin. This began his love for the great outdoors and all of God’s creation. He grew up with his siblings helping the family with wheat harvest, potato harvest, haying, and their sheep and cow-calf operation. He was involved with 4-H, FFA, band, choir, cross-country, basketball, track, student government, and Boy’s State. John attended the Albin school and graduated in 1970. He then continued his academic pursuits at the University of Wyoming in Laramie where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in animal science, distinguished as an Alpha Zeta agriculture honor student. College was a defining time in his life where he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He established a pattern of life defined with kindness, hard work, and a gentle spirit. He cared deeply for anyone who was blessed and honored to know him.

Following his graduation, John returned to Albin where he dedicated the rest of his career to farming and ranching. He met his beautiful wife, Suzi, at camp WYOBA on Casper Mountain. They married in 1982 and settled on his farm to raise their three girls. As John says, “Suzi was God’s perfect gift,” and they created a nurturing, loving and hardworking home. His greatest joy was the time he spent with his family.

Aside from his passion of working on the family farm and ranch, he was an avid fisherman, usually returning home with the biggest catch of the day. He enjoyed dark chocolate, arrowhead hunting, fossil hunting, attending his girls’, and later his grandchildren's, athletic and academic events. He continued his involvement with 4-H and FFA by helping his girls with their animal projects and later his grandchildren.

John never chose the easy route in life and later on saw the need for investing and serving in the leadership of Wyoming. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2011 and represented Laramie County from then on until his passing. He served with great dedication as the Chairman of the House Agriculture, Joint Transportation, and Select Water Committees. His contributions to local governance showcased his unwavering commitment to both people of Wyoming and the land.

John is survived by his wife, Suzi Eklund; his daughters Mandy Teeters (Matt), Ginny Hansen (Greg), and Laurie Eklund; his siblings, Chris Veurink, Barry Eklund (Kim), and Val Eklund (Sherry); his brother-in-law Steve Beechler (Debbie), and his grandchildren Addisen Teeters, Ethan Teeters, Everett Teeters, Lydia Teeters, Isaac Teeters, Rutley Hansen, Leander Hansen, and Fletcher Hansen. He also leaves behind numerous nieces, nephews, and their children.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John C. Eklund Sr. and Mildred Eklund, and his brother-in-law, John Veurink. As the Eklund family reflects upon John’s life, they celebrate a man whose legacy will continue to inspire love, kindness, and community involvement for generations to come.