Eggers, Dr. Louis Adolph "Doc" 1923-2009
EGGERS, SCHOON, HANDKE, WILL, VACEK, ALYEA, DOWNING, GRAY
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 8/26/2012 at 10:40:40
Dr. Louis A. Eggers, age 85, of Decorah, Iowa, died Saturday, March 7, 2009 at Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah, of congestive heart failure.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, March 14, 2009 at Congregational United Church of Christ in Decorah by Rev. Matthew H. Perkins.
Visitation will be from 4:00 – 7:00 P.M. Friday, March 13 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah and on Saturday one hour before the service at the church.
Louis Adolph “Doc” Eggers was born September 12, 1923, in Amber, Iowa, the son of Adolph Frances & Lena Marie (Schoon) Eggers. He was baptized on July 3, 1935 in Amber and confirmed on May 12, 1940 at Wayne Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jones County, Iowa. Louis graduated from Anamosa High School with the class of 1942. He attended Logan Basic College of Chiropractic in St. Louis, MO graduating in 1949, and then Palmer Chiropractic College in Davenport, IA graduating in 1950.
Doc was united in marriage to Eleanor G. Handke on June 15, 1952 at Zion Lutheran Church in Castalia, Iowa. This union was blessed with two children: Debra and James. Eleanor died December 27, 1993. On October 4, 1997, Louis was united in marriage to Betty Jean Will at the Porter House Museum in Decorah, Iowa.
He was drafted into the U.S. Army for WWII. He entered on March 18, 1943 at Camp Dodge, IA and became a Technician 5th grade of the 507th Medical Collecting Company, serving as an ambulance driver. He served in both the American Theater and the European African Middle Eastern Theater, earning the Good Conduct Medal. He was honorably discharged on April 17, 1946 at Camp McCoy, WI.
Doc was a Chiropractor in Postville, IA for one year, West Union, IA for one year, Elkader, IA for 14 years and in Decorah for 29 years, retiring in August 1996. His wife Eleanor was his secretary until she got sick in the summer of 1993. He was a member of the Peace United Church of Christ in Elkader and then the Congregational United Church of Christ in Decorah since February 11, 1968, where he had served as Moderator and Deacon. He enjoyed visiting with people and loved to tell jokes, walking, crossword puzzles, carpentry around the house, and he loved dancing with his wife Betty.
Doc was a man of many facets.
Doc loved the chiropractic profession. He was well known amongst his patients for his endless array of jokes. He may have retired from chiropractic, but the jokes and stories continued, as did his easy familiarity with everyone he met. Retirement did not stop his hunger for knowledge. His library of medical and health volumes continued to grow.
Doc was proud of his being a first-generation German-American. He was studying German in homage to his heritage. In addition, he studied Spanish and French.
Time never weighed heavy with Doc, being filled with his studies, his crossword puzzles and … dancing! He once said he liked to dance better than he liked to eat. And he likes to eat! He liked to sing in church, go out for dinner and always to tell jokes.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Eleanor; his twin sisters, Lorene Vacek and Irene Alyea; his brother, Harold Eggers; and an infant granddaughter, Elizabeth Downing.
Doc is survived by his wife, Betty of Decorah; one daughter, Debra (Steve) Downing of Decorah; one son, James (Sandy) Eggers of Decorah; his four grandchildren: Daniel, Brian and Kevin Downing and Haley Eggers; one sister, Mary Gray of Eldridge, IA; and several nieces and nephews.
Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Jeff Getchell.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen