Donald J. Eickholt

Donald J. Eickholt, 82, of Sioux City, formerly of Hinton, Iowa, died Tuesday, May 20, 2008, at a Sioux City hospital.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 23, 2008 at St. Michael Catholic Church, with the Rev. Gary Snyder officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Pierson, Iowa. Arrangements are under the direction of Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel. Condolences may be sent online to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Donald was born June 8, 1925, near Anthon, Iowa, to Anton T. Eickholt and Ida Dandurand Eickholt. He attended Anthon Country School. He enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he was a paratrooper with the 17th Airborne Division. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was honorably discharged. He continued to serve his country in the U.S. Army Reserves in Sioux City.

On Feb. 12, 1955, he married Lola Marie Herbold in Sioux City. They lived in Sioux City, while he worked as a switchman for the Terminal Railroad, retiring from the railroad after its closure in 1970. In 1962, he followed his passion and purchased a farm near Hinton, Iowa, where the couple raised their six children. He raised crops, cattle and hogs until his retirement from farming in 1998, following the death of his wife, Lola.

He later married Dorothea Bertrand. He became a resident of Holy Spirit Assisted Living Community in April 2004.

He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 15016, American Legion post 477 of Hinton and the USA Council of Serra International. He enjoyed flying his own plane after the war. He also was an avid reader and kept abreast of current events. He was a generous spirit and always shared his abundant garden produce. He enjoyed traveling, especially to his annual 17th Airborne reunions. All who knew him will miss his sense of humor and kindness.

Survivors include four daughters, Marilyn Eickholt of Sioux City, Dr. Marj Eickholt and Jack Donovan of Sioux City, Deborah and Joe Robinson of Akron, Iowa, and Diane Dynes of Anawan, Ill.; two sons, Ray and Sandy Eickholt of Rembrandt, Iowa, and Joe and Penny Eickholt of Hinton, Iowa; a brother, Richard and Valerie Eickholt of Saint George, Utah; three sisters, Margaret Lundblad of Fairfield Bay, Ark., Marlene and Don Zacek of Sioux City and Kathleen Wacheldorf of Sioux City; a sister-in-law, Elizabeth Eickholt of Correctionville, Iowa; a brother-in-law, Harold Herbold of Sioux City; and 14 grandchildren, Melanie, Paul "Ike" and Bethany Murphy, Coreen and Carla Robinson, Allison, Lauren and Adam Dynes, Donald, Justin and Lindsay Kestner, Ashley and Allyssa Ott and Chase Eickholt.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Lola; a brother, Roland; and two brothers-in-law, Glenn Lundblad and Robert Wacheldorf.