Burneil F. Ecklund, 85, of Mead died on Saturday, June 3, 2017 in Omaha.  Burneil, or Bernie as he was known to his family and friends, was born on June 22, 1931, near Weston, Nebraska, to George A. and Emma (Lindell) Ecklund.  He graduated from Mead High School in 1948 and proudly served in the United States Army in Korea during the Korean conflict. Burneil was awarded the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, and a Combat Infantry Badge.  He was honorably discharged from the military in 1953, then served in the U.S. Army Reserves until 1960.

He married Carol Lee Karloff of Yutan on May 31, 1952.  They became the proud parents of children Mark, Nancy, and Beth.

Burneil was a member of the Order of Masons, Tangier Temple Shrine, of Omaha, a graduate of the Nebraska Auction School, an Admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska, a longtime member of Alma Lutheran Church in Mead, and later a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Yutan.  In 1959 he was the recipient of the Omaha Junior Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Young Farmer Award.

Burneil loved the land and lived to farm.  He farmed most of his life on the “home place” near Mead.  He employed progressive farming techniques early in his vocation that included soil conservation measures and center pivot irrigation systems.  At his farm’s peak activity in the 1970’s, Burneil and son, Mark, together farmed over 1,000 irrigated acres, raised 1,000 head of Holstein steer feeder cattle, managed a 200 sow farrow-to-finish operation, all while managing a Butler Building and Grain Storage construction business that served customers in Nebraska, Iowa, and Kansas.

He lost his wife, Carol, to cancer in 2004, sadly ending a 52 year marriage and life partnership.  Burneil loved his family and took great pride in sharing their accomplishments.  Burneil’s personality was larger than life and his presence will be sorely missed.

Burneil is preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Carol, son, Mark, brother Reverend Stanley Ecklund, and sisters Eileen Ecklund Smith and Lorraine Ecklund Anderson.

He is survived by daughter Nancy and husband Mark Poeschl of Brookville, OH; daughter Beth and husband Craig Tieken of Gretna; grandchildren Brook (Billy) Thompson of Omaha, Andrew (Allison) Ecklund of York, Adam (Kim) Ecklund of Bellevue, Kealy Ecklund of Omaha, Nathan Poeschl of Brooklyn, NY, Christopher (Tony) Poeschl of Ocean View, DE, Grant Rohan of Gretna, and Chad Rohan of Gretna; great-grandchildren Avery, Lauren, Katelyn, Tyce, and Emberlyn; sister Twyla (Jim) Anderson of Kearney, NE, along with numerous nieces and nephews, and many friends.