Erwin Otto Eckhoff,92

Erwin Otto Eckhoff, 92, of Cole Camp, died Sunday, April 12, 2015, at Bothwell Regional Health Center, Sedalia.  He was born on September 12, 1922, on a farm southeast of Cole Camp, Missouri, a son of Otto and Dorothea (Monsees) Eckhoff.

He attended Hink School and stayed on the farm until he was drafted in 1943.  On December 8, 1946, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Sedalia, he was united in marriage for 68 years to Dorothy Dieckmann, who survives of the home.

Erwin served his country honorably in the United States Army during World War II. After his discharge, he worked for Otten Truck Line, Pittsburg-Corning, and Heimsoth (Sunny Ozark) Dairy.  For 12 years, he was a representative for Lutheran Brotherhood.  He was a rural mail carrier at the Cole Camp, Mora, and Florence Post Offices, until his retirement in 1987.  During his retirement, he drove a school bus for Benton County R-1 in Cole Camp and was a greeter at Wal-Mart until he became disabled.  He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and the American Legion Post No. 305, both of Cole Camp.

Besides his wife, he is survived by:
his daughter, Mona K. Ipsen and her husband Allan of Cole Camp;
his three sons, Mark O. Eckhoff of Cole Camp, Kevin D. Eckhoff and his wife Karen of Independence, and Kerry D. Eckhoff and his wife Tammy of Cole Camp;
his daughter-in-law, Kathryn Eckhoff Stuart of Midland, MI;
twelve grandchildren, Brian Ipsen, Jennifer Rehmer, Allison Schoolcraft, Kristopher Eckhoff, Heidi Westermier, Jane Eckhoff, Faith Eckhoff, Meghan Eckhoff, Cassandra Eckhoff, Becca Craig, Cory Wilson, and Christa Wilson;
sixteen great-grandchildren, Grace, Joseph, Tobyn, Edwyn, Owen, Bradyn, Noah, Eli, Cora, Taylor, Kole, Hanna, Gage, Quinn, Aiden, and Adilynn.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Otto and Dorothea Eckhoff, his son, E. Kent Eckhoff, his sister, Viola Schuman Hampy, his two brothers, Rufus Eckhoff and Raymond Eckhoff, and his great-granddaughter, Claire Ipsen.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 18, 2015, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Cole Camp, with Pastor Jeffrey Kuddes officiating.  Burial will be in Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Cole Camp, with military rites by the American Legion Post No. 305 of Cole Camp.

The family will receive friends from 9:30 a.m. until service time on Saturday at the church.

The family suggests memorial contributions be given to Trinity Memorial Fund or Cole Camp Senior Center in care of the Fox Funeral Home, Cole Camp.

Pallbearers will be Ron Dieckmann, Stan Dieckmann, Kenneth Eckhoff, Ed Donnell, Don Eckhoff, Dean Eckhoff, Larry Eckhoff, James Latham, Kris Eckhoff, and Brian Ipsen.