He was born Dec. 28, 1922, in Arlington. He graduated from Arlington High School and attended Midland Lutheran College. Eck served as a B-24 top turret gunner in the European Theatre during World War II. He retired after 36 years with Natkin & Company. Many knew him as a master peanut brittle chef.

Survivors include: daughters, Sue (and husband, Mike) Hall and Joanie Echtenkamp; grandchildren, Amy (and husband, Mark) Patterson and Joe Hall; great-grandson, Will Patterson; special friends, Barb and Mike Hoody and Kay and Bob Johnson; sister, Elna Goracke; brother, Earl (and wife, Elaine) Echtenkamp; sister-in-law, Sister Harriet Rump; and many nieces, nephews and golfing buddies.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 58 years, Betty; daughter, Mary Ann; grandson, Michael Glen; and two sisters, Lorraine and Verna.

The funeral will be 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church in Omaha. Visitation will begin at 5 p.m. today at John A. Gentleman’s 72nd Street Chapel in Omaha with a wake service at 7 p.m. Golf attire is encouraged at the wake service to honor our favorite golfer. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Omaha with military honors by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2503.

Memorials have been established to ENCOR (Eastern Nebraska Community Office of Retardation) and Sisters of St. Francis of Clinton, Iowa.

~~~Obituary courtesy of Washington County Genealogical Association; newspaper clippings on file at the Public Library, Blair, Nebraska ~~~