Dorothy Mae Eckhardt

Hastings resident, Dorothy Mae Eckhardt, 92, passed away, Friday, June 27, 2014 at Mary Lanning Memorial HealthCare, Hastings.

Memorial service will be Thursday, July 3, 2014 at 11 am at All Saints Chapel, Good Samaritan Society, Hastings-Village with Rev. Charles Johnson officiating.

Burial will be in the Holstein Cemetery, Holstein at 9:30 am before the service. Condolences may be sent to the family from www.apfelfuneralhome.com. Apfel Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Memorials may be given to All Saints Chapel, Good Samaritan Society or the Holstein Cemetery, Holstein.

Dorothy was born January 8, 1922 to Homer and Ruth (Baehr) Gifford in Minden, NE. She graduated from the Minden High School in 1939. She married Pearl Eckhardt in Smith Center, Kansas on May 6, 1939, Pearl passed away April 26, 2001.

Dorothy farmed with her husband for over 40 years. She was active in the Adams County Extension Club serving as President for two years. She served on the Adams County Extension Board for three years. She also was the food manager at the Adams County Fair for four years. After moving to Good Samaritan Society she was active in the Village Auxiliary serving as president for two years.

She belonged to several card clubs. Dorothy loved to crochet lap robes and donated hundreds of them to the village. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends and was very active in activities at the Village Green.

She was a life time member of the Grace United Methodist Church, Hastings and was in the Methodist Women Society.

She is survived by one son, Larry D. (Karen) Eckhardt of Holstein, and three daughters, Jan (Jerome) Heuertz and Marlene (Juris) Tontegode all of Sun City West, AZ and Sandra (Charles) Rishel of Osprey, FL, 13 grandchildren, 41 great grandchildren, 1 great great grandchild, sister-in-law, Pat Gifford, and step-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Pearl, five sisters and two brothers.