ECKENROD, Richard James 1932-2004

TUCKER, FERCH, ECKENROD

Posted By: K. Kittleson
Date: 11/30/2008 at 12:45:02

Visitation:
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Hauser Funeral Home

Service:
Friday, December 31, 2004
Bethany Alliance Church
1100 Clinton
Charles City, Iowa

Richard Eckenrod, 72, of Charles City, Iowa, died Tuesday, December 28, 2004, at the 9th Street Chautauqua Guest Home in Charles City.

Funeral services for Richard will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Bethany Alliance Church in Charles City. Pastor Kent Sovine will officiate. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery, Charles City. Military honors will be conducted by the Charles City Ceremonial Unit.

Friends may call at the Hauser Funeral Home in Charles City from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday. Visitation will continue Friday at the church an hour prior to the service.

Richard James Eckenrod was born January 30, 1932, on the family farm in rural Ionia, the son of Leonard and Cleo (Tucker) Eckenrod. He attended the Republic Country School through eighth grade and graduated from the Nashua High School in 1952. Following graduation Richard was inducted into the United States Army on August 6, 1952. Richard was stationed at Fort Bliss, TX, and then went to Korea in March of 1953 where he was stationed for over a year. He was honorably discharged on July 24, 1954.

Richard was united in marriage to Lorraine Ferch at the Little Brown Church in Nashua on February 13, 1955. They lived in Charles City during their married life. Richard was a carpenter and helped build many homes in Charles City.

He suffered a brain aneurysm on October 30, 1975 and was forced to retire at the age of 43. He spent many years in a wheel chair due to his health problems, the last being lung cancer diagnosed in May 2004.

Richard still enjoyed life despite all his health problems and spent much of his time during warm weather sitting outside in his wheel chair waving at the people going by. If anybody would ask him how he was, he would always say, Im ok, even though we all knew different.

Richard attended Bethany Alliance Church and was a lifetime member of V.F.W. post 3914. He was proud of his children and grandchildren and enjoyed family get togethers. He enjoyed sports, especially basketball, and was a big Iowa Hawkeye fan. Richard will be missed very much by his large and loving family and his many friends.

Richard is survived by his wife, Lorraine of Charles City; four daughters, Deb (Kirk) Bailey, Jean (Jerry) Wiltse and Nancy Eckenrod all of Charles City, Karla (Jeff) Klein of Prior Lake, MN; a step daughter, Linda (Ron) Apel of Charles City; four sons, Keith (Cindy) Eckenrod and Tom (Lori) Eckenrod both of Charles City, Mike Eckenrod of Grand Junction, CO, and Bill (Jill) Eckenrod of Waverly; grandchildren, Mark and Megan Bailey, Kristin, Brian and Brandee Eckenrod, Dana, Carrie, Kelly Eckenrod, Jessica (Mark) Barry, Joe, Jennifer, Jerry Jr. (Benya) Wiltse, Haley and Trey Eckenrod, and Lisa, Steve and Chad Apel; great grandchildren, Kylie Boehmer, Claire Eckenrod, Kaden, Sarah, Stephani, Trent and Tad Barry, Jordan and Logan Apel, Ann Marie and Samuel Wiltse; two sisters, Shirley Eckenrod of Muskego, WI and Mary Lou (Bob) Haacker of Flippin, AK; three brothers, Robert (Fonda) Eckenrod and Kenneth (Mabel) Eckenrod both of Waterloo, and Jerry (Diane) Eckenrod of Belle Plaine; and two sisters-in-law, Fern Eckenrod of Nashua and Pauline Eckenrod of New Hampton.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a granddaughter, Faith Eckenrod; two brothers, Les and Don Eckenrod; and a sister, Pat Schwartzkopf.

The Hauser Funeral Home, (641) 228-2323, www.hauserfh.com, in Charles City, is in charge of arrangements.

[Hauser Funeral Home obituary - www.hauserfh.com]