The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

Randall Ecklund discovered a passion for one science while studying another.

While he enjoyed most of the subjects he studied in school, except perhaps for higher level math, Randall lit up when he started talking about one particular segment of his biology class, when they turned their focus to the chemistry of biology.

“It was only about a month of chemistry, but it was always something to look forward to every day,” Randall said. “That class made me want to be a chemist for a while. I had huge aspirations to get a Ph.D and become a professor. I don’t know if that is the path for me now, but it’s still in the back of my mind.”

Mr. Rooklidge taught the class.

“That’s part of the reason he’s my favorite,” Randall said. “Mr. Rooklidge was always the teacher who made school enjoyable to go to, even on the days I was not feeling it or was struggling to understand the subject. He was always the one who understood how to teach me the best. He was always the one who knew me best.”

Randall has taken a couple chemistry classes at Lower Columbia College since then. They were harder, he said, but still fun. Still, it was during the pandemic, and the classes were over Zoom, and not as structured as he might have liked.

If he does decide to continue down that path, he realizes he may have to revisit those classes.

“I’m not sure I had that good of a grasp,” he said.

Randall has donned a football uniform on and off over the years, but for one reason or another, he wasn’t able to play as much football in high school as he might have liked.

Instead, Randall continued to support his teammates, and other Mule teams, by playing the trumpet in the pep band.

Randall was pretty much born and raised in Cathlamet.

“I have always thought that I would live my whole life here,” Randall said. “I’m slowly beginning to branch away from that. It would be nice to live somewhere else for a little while, but Cathlamet is home. I don’t think I particularly want to stay away.”

His immediate plans don’t include any chemistry classes. For now.

“I’m in the process of starting a lawn care company,” Randall said. “This summer my dad and I are going to Olympia to establish it as an LLC under my name. I’m trying to get my business started, but my main goal is to rent my own house a year from now.”

Randall Ecklund is the son of Edd and Sheba Ecklund.