Douglas Eayrs, 71, Maple Grove
Douglas Alan Eayrs (1954-2026)
Douglas Alan Eayrs, 71, of Maple Grove, died peacefully at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis on Jan. 1, 2026, surrounded by loved ones. Douglas was recently diagnosed with a rare leukemia and faced other challenging complications.
Douglas was born May 21, 1954, to Stewart and Ruth Eayrs. Douglas grew up on the family farm near the Swiss settlement of Berne. He graduated from West Concord High School in 1972.
Douglas received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota (Political Science) and earned his Master of Science (Applied Economics) from Marquette University. Douglas earned the prestigious Certified Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and was a nationally recognized securities analyst specializing in the medical technology industry. He later co-founded Chitogen Inc. where he served on the Board of Directors and as chief financial officer, a medical device company focusing on wound care products. He also assisted Artoss, Inc. as the financial controller.
Douglas and his wife, Sonja, recently celebrated 46 years of marriage and were blessed with two loving daughters, Rebekah and Kathleen. Douglas was tender-hearted, yet strong, and treasured family (especially his granddaughters) and friends. Douglas and Sonja enjoyed frequent domestic and international travel with their family. He will be remembered for his love of sports (Skol Vikings!), foreign and domestic films, music, history (specifically World War II), nature, wildlife as well as many treasured pets. For years, Douglas served as Master of Ceremonies at Swissfest, a cultural event honoring Swiss heritage at Zwingli United Church of Christ in Berne. Family and friends will miss his sense of humor, his race to read the weekly News of the Weird, and detailed description of a movie plot before others had a chance to watch the film.
Douglas was preceded in death by his parents and other loved ones.
Douglas is survived by his wife, Sonja Trom Eayrs, daughters Rebekah Cavanagh (Paul) and Kathleen Eayrs (Laura Buchs-Hammonds), granddaughters Evelyn and Noelle, brothers Michael (Mary Jo), Neil (Fran), sisters Catherine and Martha, and numerous family members.
Douglas’s memorial service will be held Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, at St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church, 17205 County Road 6, Plymouth, MN, 55447, at 2 p.m., with visitation immediately preceding from 1 to 2 p.m. Visitation will also occur Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, at David Lee Funeral Home, 1220 Wayzata Boulevard East, Wayzata, MN, 55391, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Memorials are preferred to St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church in Plymouth, (spdlc.org), Zwingli United Church of Christ, Berne, (bernechurch.com), or West Concord Historical Society, West Concord, (WestConcordHS@gmail.com).