Alex Eckhardt

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

March 17, 1913 - Jan. 3, 2009

KIMBALL -- Alex Eckhardt, 95, a former Kimball resident died at Willow Ridge Retirement Home in McCook on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2009.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2008, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Kimball with Pastor Kenneth Mars officiating. Burial will be in the Kimball Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home today until 7 p.m.

Memorials have been established to St. John's Lutheran Church of Kimball. Cantrell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Alex was born in Cheyenne, Wyo., on March 17, 1913, the son of David and Anna Marie (Schmidt) Eckhardt and attended school in Cheyenne. He went to work for United Airlines as a mechanic and received his airplane and engine license at Cheyenne in 1944.

He was married to Freda Brothers in Scottsbluff on Nov. 7, 1939. While employed by United Airlines the family lived in North Platte, Denver, Cheyenne and Salt Lake City. They moved to Dix in 1946, and Alex helped his father-in-law, Will Brothers farm during the summer months and also owned and operated a service station in Dix.

Throughout his career he also worked for the railroad, drove a school bus for the Dix Schools and worked as a mechanic for Dalton Buick in Kimball. In 1966, Alex and Freda took over the family farm and lived there until moving to Kimball in 1986.

When they were not farming they loved to travel and had seen most of the United States and Europe.

He enjoyed golfing, fishing and visiting with friends. Alex will be remembered for his sense of humor and friendly and positive attitude.

Survivors include his sons, Darrell (K.C.) Eckhardt of McCook, and Lennard (Jean) Eckhardt of Long Beach, Calif.; four grandchildren, Brenda (Joe) Anderjaska of Hays Center, Neb., Steve (Darcy) Eckhardt of McCook, Rodney (Laura) Eckhardt of Littleton, Colo., and Ronda (Gart) Sutton of Corna del Mar, Calif.; 10 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Freda in 2006, five brothers and four sisters-in-law.