Obit: Eckes, Clifford Michael (1924 - 2008)
 

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Eckes, Stoetzel, Heurer, Hartl, Pleckham, Fischer, Pfahning, Wagner, Krasselt, Krall

----Source: Marshfield News Herald, Marshfield, Wood Co., WI, Sun. 21 Dec. 2008

Eckes, Clifford Michael (15 Mar. 1924 - 20 Dec. 2008)

Clifford M. Eckes, 84, 412 W. Cleveland St., Marshfield, died Sat. Dec. 20, 2008, at his home.

A Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Sat. Dec. 27, at St. John's Catholic Church. Visitations will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Fri. and from 9:30 a.m. until service time Sat. at St. John's Church.

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----Source: Marshfield News Herald, Marshfield, Wood Co., WI, Wed., 24 Dec. 2008

Clifford Michael Eckes, 84, of 412 W. Cleveland St., Marshfield, received the checkered flag on life from the Good Lord on Sat. Dec. 20, 2008, at his home with his family by his side.

A Memorial Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Sat. Dec. 27, 2008, at St. John's Catholic Church. The Rev. Charles Stoetzel will officiate, and Cathy Heurer will be the organist for St. John's Church Funeral Choir. Burial will take place in Gate of Heaven Cemetery.

The visitation will be held from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Fri., Dec. 26, at Rembs' Funeral Home (300 S. Oak Ave. - Marshfield, WI), Marshfield, and Sat. at St. John's Church from 9:30 a.m. until service time. A combined St. John's Parish and Knights of Columbus Rosary Service will be held at 6:30 p.m. Fri. at the funeral home.

Cliff was born March 15, 1924, in Marshfield to Henry Frank and Mary (Hartl) Eckes. He attended St. John's Parochial School in Marshfield. He and LuVerne M. "Midge" Pleckham were united in marriage April 19, 1951, at St. John's Catholic Church, Marshfield.

As a young man, he had worked at Lauby's Delivery Service, Sherman & Lange Foundry and Kohs Machine Shop all before he began his own business, known as Cliff's Cycle Service, at 926 W. Arnold St., Marshfield, until 1974. He then expanded and moved his business to S2979 Schmidt Road, north of Marshfield on Highway 13. His two sons joined him in the business.

His hobbies included fishing, hunting, and riding and racing motorcycles. He competed in four Daytona 200 races on the beach in Florida, in 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1952. He was Wisconsin State Flattrack Champion in 1961 and 1963. He hillclimbed his Triumph 750 at Duracuse Mound this past summer at age 84. He competed in the antique vintage handshift class on his 1946 Harley-Davidson WR45 at Davenport, Iowa, every year until 2007. He was the crowd favorite, receiving the loudest ovations from the grandstands and the longest autograph line after the races. Even as his health started to fail, he found some inner strength to attend and compete at this event. He was a very active person in life and should be remembered that way.

He is survived by his wife, "Midge," of 57 years, and their four children and families, Larry "Woody" (Connie) Eckes of Spencer and their children, Jason Eckes of DeForest, Abraham Eckes of Costa Rica, Amber Eckes of Madison and Nicole (Jeff) Fischer of Marshfield; Mary Ann (Rick Pfahning) Eckes and her son, Gene Wagner, all of Eau Claire; Janie (Jeff) Krasselt and their sons, Jared, Joel and Jace Krasselt, all of Chili; and Clifford (Kim) Eckes and their sons, Brandon and Alex Eckes, all of Marshfield. He is further survived by a brother, James (Dorothy) Eckes of MArshfield.

He was predeceased by his parents; a sister, Bernadine Krall; and a grandson, Jordan Krasselt. Memorials may be designated in his name to the American Heart Association, SIDS Foundation, St. John's Parish or Ministry Home Hospice Care. The family would like to thank the doctors and staff at Saint Joseph's Hospital and Marshfield Clinic and the staff of Ministry Home Hospice Care.