Verl Eckman - August 4th, 1931 - February 27th, 2022

Verl Eckman peacefully passed from this life February 27, 2022 at Village Manor, Abilene, Kansas. He was born to Thomas Jefferson “T.J” and Dorothy “Dot” (Frohardt) Eckman on August 4, 1931 in Abilene, Kansas.

Verl was raised in rural Dickinson County and attended Talmage schools until he and his parents moved to Abilene in 1941. He graduated from Abilene High School with the class of 1949.

Verl was inducted into the service of the United States Army August 29, 1952 at Camp Crowder, in Missouri. He spent one year of his service with the 278th IRCT at Keflavik, Iceland. Active tour of duty ended August 30, 1954.

On January 7, 1953, in Westfall, Kansas, Verl was united in marriage to Betty Carr. To this union were born four daughters and one son. Verl and Betty were blessed to spend sixty nine years together.

He worked as a carpenter for Builders Incorporated in Wichita, Kansas and then was employed as a shipping clerk at Boeing Aircraft for seventeen years. When he relocated his family back to Abilene, he worked as a shipping clerk at CE Raymond/ABB Preheater, Inc. at Enterprise, Kansas for 25 years.

Verl was a member of the Abilene First United Methodist Church, where he served as an usher at the early service, and was a member of the Crusaders Sunday School class.
During his retirement years he and Betty enjoyed traveling - Seattle, Washington, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, just to name a few. Highlight trips: McKinney, Texas and Table Rock Lake, Missouri.

Verl was preceded in death by his parents, and daughter Jeannette. Left to celebrate his life are his wife Betty, of the home; daughters: Annette (Paul) Huiett of Salina, Merrie Bruns of Buckeye, Arizona, Joyce (Doug) McKinney of Beloit; son Steve (Kathy) Eckman of Shawnee; grandchildren: Jayme (Roy) Hamilton, Phil (Kathleen) McKinney, Leann McKinney and fiancé Luke Schreefer, Mackenzie Eckman and special friend Shane Millard, Megan (Jacob) Webb; great-grandchildren: Kylie and Braedon.

Services will be 10:00 am Wednesday, March 9, 2022 at the First United Methodist Church in Abilene with Reverend John Collins officiating. Graveside services for Verl will be at 2:30 pm Wednesday at the Beverly Cemetery, Beverly, Kansas.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Dickinson County Home Health and Hospice, Village Manor, or Abilene First United Methodist Church and may be sent in care of the Danner Funeral Home, 501 N. Buckeye, Abilene, Kansas 67410.