John Eich, 71, of Missouri Valley, Iowa, died May 8, 2001, at Memorial Community Hospital in Blair.

A Mass of the Christian Burial was held May 10 at St. Elizabeth Seton Church in Glidden, Iowa, with Father Robert Gralaap officiating. Interment was at the Merle Hay Memorial Cemetery in Glidden, with military honors conducted by the Glidden American Legion.

John Eich was born Aug. 16, 1929, at Carroll, Iowa, to John and Elizabeth (Janning) Eich. He spent his younger years in the Carroll community and attended St. Peter and Paul Schools. He began his employment with the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad at age 17.

On Oct. 21, 1952, he married Donna Gross in Carroll. In November 1952, he entered the U.S. Army and served overseas in the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in November 1954.

Following his military service, Mr. Eich returned to the railroad and was a crane operator, building railroad bridges. He retired from the railroad in 1991.

On Feb. 14, 1990, he married Sharon "Kitty" Norbeck in Bellevue. The couple made their home in Blair until 1991, when they moved to Missouri Valley.

Mr. Eich was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and V.F.,W. of Blair. He enjoyed fishing and woodworking.

He is survived by his wife, Kitty, of Missouri Valley, step-daughters, Cindy Christensen and husband, Paul, of Blair, and Linda Ryley of Omaha, an adopted son, Robbie Eich of Orange City, Iowa, three grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, sisters and brother-in-law, Colet Keat of Carroll, Vera Wiskus and Gladys Ebner, both of Hesperia, Calif., Eileen and Shorty Kokenge of Norwalk, Calif, Rita Boyer of Boone, Iowa, and Betty West of West Branch, Iowa, sister-in-law, Marie Eich of Ackley, Iowa, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Donna Eich, and three brothers, Leroy, Adolph and Otmar Eich.

Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll was in charge of arrangements.

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