Former Anchor Point resident Melville Arlon Eklund, 73, died May 18, 2014, in New Braunfels, Texas. A graveside memorial service is at 10 a.m. May 22, 2014, at Luling Memorial Cemetery, Luling, Texas, with burial to follow.

Eklund was born Feb. 5, 1941, in Seguin, Texas, to Melville A. “Jim” Eklund and Vivian E. (Williams) Eklund. He graduated from high school in Pleasanton, Texas. After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and was trained and stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif., until his discharge. He then worked in the Houston, Texas, area for several years before moving to the Midland, Texas, area, where he bought and began raising and showing quarter horses.

He moved to Lockhart, Texas, in 1986, where he continued raising and showing quarter horses. He was instrumental in establishing the Southwest Cutting Horse Association, which met monthly for many years at the Civic Center in San Marcos. He then moved to New Braunfels, where he continued breeding and showing quarter horses. He then established a construction and remodeling business in Canyon Lake, Texas, until ill health caused the closure of that business.

He retired and moved to Anchor Point in 2007, and returned to New Braunfels in September 2013, where he was living at the time of his final illness.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Melville and Vivian Eklund, and a son, Matthew Aaron Eklund.

He is survived by his daughter, Laurie Jeannote; grandchildren, Thomas Jr., Matthew, Blayton, Rylee, Lynsie, Whitney, Krista, Sydnee and Shelbey; grandson-in-law, Bobby Necker; step-mother, Mary Eklund of Pleasanton, Texas; sister and brother-in-law, Betty A. and Steven Hodges; sister, Mellie Killian; nieces, Vicki, Barbara, Terri, Rhonda and Melanie; nephews, Wes and Mark Alan; cousins, Wynelle, Reggie, Billy and Dinah; and great-grandchildren, Lauryn, Lilah, Luke and Arlon.