Obituaries : Nelda Ruth Primmer Eckhart

Nelda Eckhart

VINTON -- Nelda Ruth Primmer Eckhart, 83, died Friday, February 1, 2013, at Virginia Gay Nursing and Rehab in Vinton following a long illness.
Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Monday, February 4, 2013, at First Christian Church in Vinton with Rev. Connie Wacht officiating. Visitation will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, February 3, at Van Steenhuyse-Russell Funeral Home in Vinton and also an hour prior to services Monday at the church. Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Vinton.
Nelda was born December 23, 1929, in Smith Center, Kansas, the daughter of Glenn Estus and Mabel Ida Abernathy Primmer, Sr. Nelda attended school in Smith Center and Vinton, Iowa. During WWII, she attended a country school in Medicine Park, OK, for a short time. She sang for military families while in Oklahoma.
On February 1, 1948, Nelda was united in marriage with George Leroy Eckhart at the First Christian Church in Vinton. The couple enjoyed traveling. They spent 6 weeks each year touring the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Before she was married, Nelda worked in the fields, picking green beans for a canning factory. She later worked in the factory. Nelda also worked at the Harry Wiggins Cafe, J.C. Penney and the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company. She also cleaned houses and baby-sat. After marrying George, Nelda stayed home to raise their 5 children.
Nelda was baptized while a member of the E.U. B. Church in Vinton. She transferred membership to First Christian Church in Vinton during her teen years and has been a member ever since.
Nelda is survived by her husband of 65 years, George Eckhart, of Vinton; four daughters: Barbara (Larry) Dauenbaugh of Cedar Rapids; Ida (Morris) Higgins of Vinton; Debra Kay (Bill) Larson of Iowa City; and Tammy Jo (Tom Lee) Eckhart of Bloomington, IN; daughter-in-law Marti Eckhart of Vinton; 12 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren (and one on the way); one brother: Glenn E. (June) Primmer, Jr. of Frisco, TX; one sister: Patricia (Dale) Cantowine of Tipton; two brothers-in-law: Donald (Arlene) Eckhart of Vinton and Charles Eckhart of Waterloo; and sister-in-law June Eckhart of North Liberty.
She was preceded in death by her parents; one son, Morris Eckhart; brothers: Marion, Richard, Carl and Maurice Primmer; and sister Doris Smith.
A memorial fund has been established.
Van Steenhuyse-Russell Funeral Home of Vinton is caring for Nelda and her family. Condolences may be left at www.vsrfh.com.