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Rod Ekstam

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Nagelberg:
I am sorry to report the passing of Rod L. Ekstam, who departed this  life at his home in Paducah. Kentucky on May 1, 2017.  He was 75 years old and is survived by his wife, Marilyn Ekstam of Paducah.
Rod was my oldest friend. and we grew up in a Jackson Heiths that has all but faded from memory. I met Rod in the P.S. 69 schoolyard when we were both in the Third Grade.  Our home room teacher was
a buck toothed hawk-nose old biddy named Mrs. McKey who was rumored to have hated boys--especially wise guys like us.   We probably spent more time in the 69 schoolyard than the school itself,
but the schoolyard is where we parked ourselves all the way through high school graduation.  I could write volumes about this one aspect of Jackson Heights Life, but the task is daunting.  The point of putting words to paper now is to remember what a Jackson Heights boy rod was. Rod lived in Hampton Court, attended Community Methodist Church, dated girls from the Chateau -- and was pals with John Connolly. Charlie Berry, Nick Carter, Dick Garrett, Butch Speer and me, John Witek.  Rod and I were rarely out of touch and one of the bonds that held us together was  a mutual affection for "the Heights" as we called it, our dear old home town.  How lucky we were to have been there in its golden age.

82nd st lady:
Sorry for the loss of your friend. I also lost my friend Barbara, another old time  Heights friend in March. So any memories of that wonderful town in that wonderful era.

Morris-twins:
I believe he had an older brother whose claim to fame was that he consumed a 1/2 dozen martinis at the Continental (37th Ave, between 82 and 83) and walked home.

NickCarterPS69:
John,
This is Nick Carter !
Somehow I wandered into posts called the yard in Jackson Heights.
Would like to catch up.  jncglobal100@gmail.com

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