Edna Emma Eckerson

Edna Emma Eckerson, age 94, the widow of Earl Eckerson. She died on Friday morning in a Watertown care center where she had resided since 1998. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, April 6, 2005 at 11AM in the St. Paul Lutheran Church at Clark with the Reverend Roger Semmler officiating. Burial will follow in the Rosehill Cemetery at Clark. Honorary Casketbearers will be Dale Stevens, Lloyd Nerland, Leonard Krueger, David Haugland and Vince Kennealley. Active casketbearers will be David Moritz, H.T.Desnoyers, Gene Furness, Mel Hamre, Don Syvertson and Larry Christensen. Music will be provided by Dorothy Fuller as organist and Roger Nordhus & David Prieb as soloists. Selections will include "The Old Rugged Cross", "In the Garden", "On the Wings of Dove" and "The Lord's Prayer". She was born on a farm in Rusk Township, Day County, southwest of Webster, SD, on May 16, 1910, the daughter of Reinhold and Meta (Ludtke) Reiprich. She was baptized at the St. John's Lutheran Church at Webster and confirmed in the Butler Lutheran Church. She attended country school in Rusk Township for eight years and then graduated from Watertown Business College in Watertown, SD. After her school she went to work at the J.C.Penney stores in Webster and Aberdeen and then became employed at the Nerger Store in Clark, working for Grace Nerger who had stores in Clark and Webster. On April 27, 1942 she married Earl Eckerson, the local barber. Her husband purchased a building on Commercial Street in Clark for his barber shop, and after the purchase of the building, Edna decided to open her own business. Her business was named Edna's Dress Shoppe, which she owned and operated some 35 years in Clark, retiring in her mid 70's. She loved to take her grandchildren to market in Minneapolis for apparel shows'an experience no one will forget. She will long be remembered to many on 'Main Street' of Clark, someone anyone could stop by and say 'hello' to. Cooking, sewing, making afghans, and flowers were all favorite pastimes of her, but second to none was her 'bragging' about her beautiful grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She absolutely loved showing everyone pictures of them, especially the little ones. Afer her husband's death in 1988, she continued living in her own home in Clark until becoming a resident of the Jenkins Living Center in Watertown in 1998. She was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church at Clark where she was a longtime Sunday school teacher. While living in Aberdeen she also taught Sunday school at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Edna was also active in community service clubs including the VFW Auxiliary, a former member of the Rebekkah Lodge and a 44-year member of the American Legion Auxiliary. Survivors include a son, Earl Joseph Eckerson and wife Marjean of Jackson, MS, 3 grandchildren, Robyn Slunecka and husband Tom of St. Charles, MO, Stacey Eckerson and wife Karen of Clinton, MS and Clay Eckerson and wife Jennifer of Jackson, MS; 7 great-grandchildren, Wyatt, William and Jack Slunecka, Emily, Hailey, Audrey and Evan Eckerson. Preceding her in death were her parents, husband Earl on January 2, 1988, a brother Adolph and a sister, Mildred Nerland Email condolences publicly or privately at www.furnessfuneralhome.com