Edward O. Ekman, Jr.

Edward O. Ekman, Jr of Plymouth, Massachusetts passed away peacefully at home on June 21, 2026 at the age of 93.  Fittingly, he chose Father’s Day and Swedish Midsummer—the sunniest day of the year-- to set out on the next leg of his journey.

Ed (or “Ned” as he was known in his younger days) was born on July 17, 1932 in Providence, Rhode Island to Edward O. Ekman Sr. and Edna Skoglund Ekman, and grew up in Warwick, Rhode Island. Ed and his beloved sister Gloria had the American Dream childhood envisioned by his immigrant father and devoted mother, and after attending Warwick public schools Ed graduated from Providence Country Day. He headed to URI to pursue engineering, and made lifelong friends there, particularly at the Phi Mu Delta fraternity. Ed knew that his future lay elsewhere however, and joined the US Army in 1954, where he spent 3 rewarding years at the Guided Missile Center at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Ed’s father had built his architectural practice since striking out on his own in the ‘30s and a partnership between father and son beckoned. After fulfilling his Army commitment, Ed attended The Rhode Island School Of Design where he not only learned his lifelong craft of architecture but met his future wife Elizabeth Barrett (Barrie) Doerr. In 1960, Ed graduated RISD (winning the Henry Adams medal for academic excellence), joined Edward O. Ekman and Associates, got married, and commenced to build a life of quality and consequence.

Ed and Barrie bought their first house in Wickford, welcomed their son Anders and daughter Lisa, and became mainstays of the town they would love their entire lives. Ed will be buried at The Old Narragansett Church in Wickford, near old friends, their Friend Street house, and a short distance away from both the Wickford Yacht Club which he co-founded in 1963, and the North Kingstown Free Library of which he was a Trustee and Building Committee member.

Ed loved working with his father and together, they built a great firm. Edward Ekman Sr. died in 1968, leaving Ed to carry on. And carry on he did, building a company that left its mark on New England with important and highly awarded work for AAA, Amica Insurance, Citizens Bank, AT Cross, schools, municipalities and many others. Ed greatly valued all of his long-time colleagues and partners Edward Ekman Sr., Bob Klaeson, Bob Arp and Greg Snider. He always sought to provide stability, consistency and an environment for people to do their best work.

The kind of relationships he built with colleagues and clients extended into the rest of Ed’s life as well, and he was a valued resource, coalition builder and consistent steward for over 50 years. Ed was asked to be board President of virtually every organization he associated with—Rocky Hill School, The Dunes Club, The East Greenwich United Methodist Church, The Lions Club, The Executives Club and many more.

Family and fun were always at the fore despite Ed’s many professional and community commitments. He was an engaged and supportive husband, father and friend, and took great delight in many pursuits—singing, sailing, tennis, skiing, Celtics games, the opera and so much more. Ed developed a talent for sailboat racing and his several boats named “Resolution” won many a trophy, including first in the Narragansett Bay catboat regatta in 1974. Showing his skills as a renaissance man, Ed became a valued part of the choir at Central Congregational Church in Providence where he and Barrie developed a host of friendships and Ed became a Deacon. He also delighted in traditions—summer birthdays with his grandchildren, making pickled herring at Christmas, raucous parties for any occasion on Pojac Point, and as a true Man Of Rhode Island, anything flavored with coffee.  

Even after a later in life move to Plymouth, Ed’s membership in the Pine Hills Glee Club, his many golfing friendships and his tireless involvement with his 5 grandchildren continued to show a man of energy and talent into his 90s.

Ed leaves a deep legacy of positive contributions, wonderful relationships and leaving things better than he found them.

He is survived by his wife Elizabeth (Barrie), his children Anders and Lisa, his children-in-law Susan and Richard, and his adoring grandchildren Libby Ekman, Sophie Ekman, Garrett Mullen, Alexandra Mullen, and Harrison Mullen.

A celebration of Ed’s life and legacy will be held at The Dunes Club, 137 Boston Neck Road, Narragansett, RI on July 24th at 11AM. All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in his honor may be made to the North Kingstown Free Library Corporation, 100 Boone Street, North Kingstown, RI 02852, or the Music Fund at Central Congregational Church, 296 Angell Street, Providence, RI 02906.

Arrangements have been entrusted to THE CRANSTON-MURPHY FUNERAL HOME of WICKFORD.

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