Elmer I. Eickert, age 97, of LaSalle, IL, formerly of Chadwick, IL, passed away Sunday, April 26, 2020, at LaSalle Veterans Home. A visitation will be held, Thursday, April 30, 2020 from 10:30am to 11:3) am, at Law Jones Funeral Home in Mount Carroll, IL. Burial will follow at Oak Knoll Cemetery, in Sterling, IL. A celebration of life gathering will be held at a later time.
Due to current circumstances, we ask that if you attend Thursday’s visitation, please remain in your vehicle until ushered into the building. The burial will be for family only. Thank you for your understanding.
Elmer was born May 15, 1922, in Clinton, IA, the son of Julius and Hazel (Kalher) Eickert. He grew up in Chadwick and attended rural Chadwick schools. With the outbreak of WWII, Elmer enlisted in the United States Army. He was soon deployed to the Pacific Theater of Operations where he served in the 37th Division, in the Solomons and Phillippines Campaigns. For his service to his nation, Elmer was awarded the following decorations: 5 Overseas Service Bars, 1 Service Stripe, Asiatic Pacific Theater Ribbon, 3 Bronze Battle Stars, Philippine Liberation Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, and World War 2 Victory Medal.
Following the conclusion of the war, Elmer re-entered civilian life as a milk truck driver, before ultimately retiring from the Illinois Dept. of Transportation Highway Dept., after 17 years of work. In his free time, Elmer loved to fish and hunt, including fox hunting. In fact, he enjoyed just about all that the great outdoors had to offer. He was especially fond of morel and blackberry hunting with his daughter, Dawn. Elmer also enjoyed reading, especially the works of Louis L’Amour, and in his later years, never missed bingo day!
Elmer will be dearly missed by his daughter, Dawn (Todd) Bliefnick, of Rock Falls; grandchildren, Marissa, Kirsten, and Ryan; brothers, Lyle (Marie) Eickert, of El Dorado Hills, CA, and DeWayne (Diane) Eickert, of Seattle, WA; and sister, Gloria Murphy, of Alabama. Elmer is preceded in death by his parents, Julius and Hazel; brothers, Lloyd Eickert and Kenneth Eickert; and sisters, Violet Ferris, Bernice Brown, Joyce Gay, and Iva Atherton.