Military Monday: Ira S. "Bud" Eckman

Ira S. "Bud" Eckman, 93, of Willow Street, passed away on Friday, June 26, 2009 at the Masonic Village in Elizabethtown. Born March 2, 1916 in Christiana, PA, he was the son of the late Ira W. and Ida Frances (Heiney) Eckman, farmers in Drumore Township. His parents were the same age, though this was not his mother's first marriage. (1)

He was married to the late Bernie (Schwenkle) Eckman (1933 - 1998), with whom he is buried.

A Veteran of WWII, Mr. Eckman proudly served with the U.S. Army in the Philippines. He enlisted on 12 February 1945 in Harrisburg and served through 3 January 1947.(2) During the war, Ira drove a truck. He had three years of high school and was employed in a machine shop and related occupations. (3)

Bud retired from Armstrong and also owned and operated "Bud's Coins" at Roots Market. He was also a lifetime member of the Chestnut Level Presbyterian Church in Quarryville and a member of the Lancaster Lodge #43, F & A.M.

He is survived by two daughters, Sherrill, wife of Ralph Lausch, of Lancaster, Sandra Shaub, of Willow Street; 11 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren and 20 great great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by three brothers and one sister.

His sister, Anna Mildred, was three years younger than him. The three brothers, all from his mom's first marriage, were all older. They were: Darwin N. Groff, John H. Groff, and Donald L. Groff. (4)

A Private Memorial Service will be held at the convenience of the family. Arrangements Entrusted to the Andrew T. Scheid Funeral Home, 320 Blue Rock Road, Millersville, PA, He is buried at the Chestnut Level Cemetery in Chestnut Level in the Southern End of Lancaster County.

Sources:

1. 1930 US Federal Census

2. Ancestry.com. U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

3. National Archives and Records Administration. U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.

4. 1920 US Federal Census

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