Leon Lonnie Eckhoff, 84, died on Nov. 17, 2023, at his home in Bend.
Leon was born Oct. 20, 1939, in the German community of Shelby to Otto and Lillian Hauck Eckhoff. In 1947, the Eckhoffs joined a few other families and moved to the banks of the Colorado River to the community of Bend.
Leon had started school learning in German, thus he had to improve his English to attend the Bend School. Upon its closure, he started attending school in San Saba and graduated in 1958.
After a semester at Tarleton College, he decided to enter the workforce and began his career in the telecommunications industry.
After a few years working, he was drafted into the United States Army and served as a helicopter crew chief. He spent a significant amount of his time at Fort Hood, just an hour from home. Leon was drafted with a man from the Panhandle who would become his best Army buddy and lifelong friend, Cecil Martin. They were born the same day, drafted the same day, served together and ended their military career the same day.
After serving his country, Leon went back into the telecommunications industry and worked for various contractors until he and his brother Dickie started their own company, where they spent 35 years working primarily in Sugar Land, a suburb of Houston.
In 2012, Leon decided it was time to retire to help take care of the sheep, cattle and pecans with his wife, Mebbie. Leon loved harvesting pecans and going to livestock shows. He served the American Rambouillet Sheep Breeders Association for many years as a board member as well as a term as vice president.
Leon was preceded in death by his wife, Mebbie Lively Eckhoff, in May 2022.
He is survived by his brother, Dickie Eckhoff, as well as sons Robbie and wife Amy of Hawley, and Donnie and wife Abbie of Axtell; his grandchildren Ethan and Ory Eckhoff of Hawley and Brynna Chappell of Axtell; and his sister-in-law, Debbie January of Chappel.
Visitation was held Nov. 22 from 1-2 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home in San Saba. The funeral service followed at 2 p.m. Burial after the service was at the Chappel Cemetery, between Bend and Cherokee.
Memorials may be made to the Chappel Cemetery or to the charity of one’s choice.
