HARLEY ORION EKRON was born November 17, 1921 to John and Sophie JOHNSEN Ekren. He married Shirley Jean Hurd in Kenai on June 26, 1953. Shirley had previously been married to Mr. Pieren and had two sons, including Doug Pieren, who spent many years in Seldovia. Shirley and Harley operated a family cannery at Kasinstna Bay for 25 years before
Shirley Jean Hurd Ekren, 81, died Julyn19, 2006. A pioneeer of Alaska she was born in Washington state Feb. 16, 1925 to Fred and Edith Hurd. In 1934 in a small overloaded boat they snuck out of Puget Sound during the night. Arriving in Anchorage they came by train to homestead on the shores of Wasilla Lake where she, her brother, Ken and sister Juanita, helped her parents build a cabin of hand hewn logs. She married twice and raised 6 children. She and husband Harley Ekren helped operate a family cannery at Kasinstna Bay for 25 years before Harley’s death on September 10, 1986. Shirley returned to Wasilla after his death and is buried there.
Harley is buried in the Seldovia City Cemetery in plot 292. He was a PFC in the US Army and his grave is posted with a veteran marker.