• Visitation
  • Saturday, January 25, 2025, at St. Jacobi Lutheran Church (8605 W. Forest Home Ave., Greenfield) from 9am- 11am
• Funeral Service
  • Saturday, January 25, 2025, at St. Jacobi Lutheran Church (8605 W. Forest Home Ave., Greenfield) starting at 11am

Frederic H. “Fritz” Eckert

Frederic Harold Eckert was born on October 26, 1935, in Reedsville, WI, to Reverend Harold H. and Irma (nee Reuschel) Eckert. He was baptized by his father at St. John/St. James Lutheran Church in Reedsville on November 3, 1935. On June 5, 1949, he was confirmed in the Christian faith by his father. He was called to his eternal home of glory on January 13, 2025.

Kaye Diane Jefferies became his bride at St. Jacobi Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, WI, on May 26, 1956. He was blessed with 68 years of marriage to Kaye.

A 1954 graduate of Northwestern Prep School, he also attended Northwestern College. From 1958 to 1968 he coached Junior Varsity basketball at Wisconsin Lutheran High School. Milwaukee Lutheran Teachers College (now Wisconsin Lutheran College) used his abilities as Athletic Director and basketball coach in its beginning years. During his children’s younger years, he coached them and many youths through Little League and grade school basketball. He also enjoyed refereeing basketball games for area high schools and colleges. In 1995 he retired from the printing industry as a Rotogravure Journeyman.

Survived by his wife, Kaye; three children: Debra (Michael) Felderman, Robert (Ann) and Glenn (Nancy) Eckert; nine grandchildren: Stacy (Jim) Hirsch, Bradley (Kristine) Felderman, Todd (Laurie) Felderman, Bryon (Chelsi) Eckert, James (Erin) Eckert, Megan (Steve) Cieslik, Sarah (Justin) Barger, Aaron (Brittany) Eckert, Katie (Dallas) Boger; twenty great-grandchildren: Quintin, Ilee Hirsch; Olivia, Delilah, Archer Cieslik; Justin, Raylynn, Kialah, Aria Eckert; Wylie, Aubree Eckert; Noah, Lacey, Emma, Anna Barger; Brooks Boger; Logan Bartels, Grace and Colton Meyer; Jack Borkowicz; great-great grandchildren: Jett and  Mavey Roder. Further survived by sister-in-law: Mary Kumelski, along with many other relatives and dear friends.

A Memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at St. Jacobi Lutheran Church, 8605 W. Forest Home Ave., Greenfield, WI. Visitation 9am- 11am. Service at 11am. Private inurnment to take place at Wisconsin Memorial Park. It was Fritz’s request that memorial gifts go to St. Jacobi Lutheran Church or Wisconsin Lutheran High School.

~     ~     ~     ~     ~

Frederic Harold Eckert was born in the parsonage in Reedsville, WI October 26, 1935 to Reverend Harold H. and Irma B. (Reuschel) Eckert. Baptized, confirmed and married by his father. Grew up in the parsonage next to St. John/St. James and St. Jacobi Lutheran Churches. He raised ducks, geese, pigeons, turkeys, rabbits, cows, goats and sheep and dogs. He had 20+ riding ponies by age 4. Rode tractors, weeded ¾ acre garden, fished and played ball. His vacations were to Dundas, WI, Holland and Saginaw, MI. Moved to Milwaukee, WI when he was 15 years old when his father received a call to preach at St. Jacobi Lutheran Church. In Milwaukee he was a laborer. Hauled bricks, blocks and mixed mud. He even tried out for the Milwaukee Braves. He was a bit mischievous as an only child. Parachuted from the garage roof with an umbrella and even known to have been shooting pigeons in the belfry of the church with a BB gun.

Fritz attended Northwestern Prep School and Northwestern College in Watertown, WI, where he was a 1954 graduate.

He met his future wife Kaye Jefferies, on a blind date. He would travel by streetcar, about 45 minutes across town, to visit her. Their first date was to the movie, THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN. She would become his bride at St. Jacobi Lutheran Church on May 26, 1956.  His wedding gift to her was a kneeling pad for cleaning floors. She still has it and laughs in conversation about it to this day. God blessed them with three children, Debra, Robert and Glenn and 68 years of a faith-centered, loving and respectful marriage.

As a young husband, Fritz drove a delivery truck for Geiser potato chips by day and stocked shelves at Kohl’s grocery store at night. Was the “B-team” (junior varsity) basketball coach at Wisconsin Lutheran High School, 1958-1968. He always spoke highly of his players and considers them like family. In 1959, began his career as a journeyman at Mueller Color Plate as a Roto Gravure, doing the fine work of engraving on cylinders by hand. He retired in 1995. The first athletic director at Milwaukee Lutheran Teachers College, which is now Wisconsin Lutheran College, an unpaid position that he truly loved. A highly respected high school and college referee. He played softball and basketball on the church team, golfed, coached Little League teams for Bob and Glenn and cheered Debbie in softball, band and cheerleading. He had us carry marbles across the floor with our toes to help us run faster and jump higher. He chased our dog, Heidi, part shepherd/collie, around the house when he got home from work. Dad spoke German fluently, and especially at Christmas, with his parents, when they didn’t want us to know what they purchased. We polished our shoes before church every Sunday morning, were always 15 minutes early to arrive anywhere, taught to work hard, give 100%+ in everything we did, love deeply, give a firm handshake and remain faithful to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We had the best back yard. ½ acre of woods, a creek, fruit trees and a strawberry berm. An asphalt half court basketball/volleyball court and bonfire pit where friends and family gathered for games, corn/pig roasts. We camped at Long Lake, travelled to Madeira Beach, Florida and Durango, Colorado for vacations. He was a true Wisconsin Badger and Green Bay Packer fan. They had season tickets to all Badger football games. Once retired, they traveled with church and their sheepshead card club friends to four Rose Bowl’s, Washington DC and the Ark Encounter. Snowbirds in Redington Beach, Florida. In retirement, one of his favorite memories was his weekly breakfast with “the guys”. Coaches, teachers and friends throughout his life.

They lived in Hales Corners, WI most of their married life. Moved to Regency senior housing in New Berlin in 2019, to Dubuque, IA in 2024 to be closer to Deb and her family and just recently to Waupaca, WI, to be closer to Bob and his family before the Lord called him home to Heaven.

At his parents 50th anniversary celebration, on of the last lines in his speech about his life growing up with his parents, he wrote: “I grew up in what I think is the nicest way to grow; a farm community in a pastor’s home.” “Even though we had an outhouse and a cistern.” “To our family, the Lord has been slow to anger and plenteous in mercies.” “Now thank we all our God.”

PRINT